The North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Manketsi Tlhape has vowed to overhaul the relationship between institutions of traditional leadership and her department to forge a healthy working relationship with traditional leaders in the province and ensure that their position as provident role players in government and community development is reinstated.

MEC Tlhape who was addressing the Ngaka Modiri Molema Local House of Traditional Leadership said that her main objective was to get a glimpse of the status quo of the house and promised to do all in her power to improve the manner in which institutions of local government works with institutions of traditional leadership.

"Our role is to support institutions of traditional leaders and ensure that traditional leaders are able to serve their communities and perform their obligations towards these respective communities. We want to ensure that there is harmonious relationship between traditional leaders and government. Institutions of traditional leadership are an important stakeholder in this department and we would like to see us working hand in glove to elevate this relationship to greater heights", said MEC Tlhape.

Executive members of the Ngaka Modiri Molema local house of traditional leadership also registered concerns for MEC Tlhape to take into consideration. These concerns include sitting allowances for traditional leaders when invited to various meetings, allocation of vehicles for traditional councils, tools of trade for traditional councils, security for traditional leaders and building traditional council offices.

Meanwhile, MEC Tlhape pleaded with traditional leaders in the province to rally behind and support the traditional council elections. "The previous attempt to elect new traditional councils failed due to lack of support from traditional leadership hence there was no buy in form communities. This time we hope that we will enjoy your full support as we anticipate pursuing this matter to be finalised before end of October this year", MEC Tlhape said.

Issued by: North West Local Government and Traditional Affairs