Harnessing traditional governance in Southern Africa

Abstract

This paper is the result of a study conducted to assess the current role that traditionalleadership plays in public service delivery and to investigate how this role could be further enhanced. The findings from the study were reinforced by the perspectives of selected traditionalleaders and representatives of local governments and civil society organizations from the Southern Africa region at a workshop on “Harnessing Traditional Governance in Southern Africa” that took place from 18 to 19 October 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The workshop’s ma in objective was to boost the content of the study by inviting traditional leaders and other stakeholders within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to find ways in which traditional leadership structures could be incorporated into the “modern” systems of government for the purposes of public service delivery. Specifically, the workshop’s goals were to (i) assess the current role of traditional leadership in public service delivery (health, education, agriculture, the judiciary,etc.); (ii) identify the modalities for enhancing the role of traditional leaders in public service delivery; and (iii) discuss possible ways of boosting good governance in resource management and ensuring delivery on development projects.