Discover moreOnline News SubscriptionDigital Newspaper AccessNews Archive AccessTRADITIONAL leaders have admitted to lacking formal legal training, raising concern over their ability to effectively handle justice matters, particularly gender-based violence (GBV) cases in rural areas.
The concerns were raised by traditional leader Chief Zimunya of Zimunya village during an Indaba on access to justice for women and girls organised by Women and Law in Southern Africa.
The Indaba aimed to strengthen coordinated action for inclusive access to justice.
Addressing stakeholders, the chief said many traditional leaders assume office without any formal education or training in law, despite being responsible for resolving disputes in their communities.
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"As chiefs we do not have any qualifications. You are just appointed and there is no form of education required.
"It is not like lawyers or other professionals. You can just wake up as a chief because chieftainship is in your family, but you do not have knowledge on the law and delivering justice.
Traditional leaders often handle cases involving domestic disputes such as land ownership, livestock conflicts and infidelity, with many matters first reported to them before being escalated to police depending on their severity.
However, the chief said lack of legal knowledge and limited resources are affecting the delivery of justice, particularly for vulnerable groups.
"Therefore there is need for educating us. The government must bring magistrates or any other law officials to rural areas and help us on how to solve justice issues," he said.
The chief also highlighted logistical challenges, including poor road networks and limited access to communication services, which make it difficult to report cases to authorities.
The Chief also added that the distance between rural communities and formal justice institutions forces villagers to rely heavily on traditional leaders.
As a result, some cases are not pursued, with victims allegedly being pressured to withdraw complaints while suspects evade arrest.
"We live in remote areas very far from urban centres, which means every case is first referred to the chief because we are far from police stations.
"We face challenges with network and transport. We do not have resources to help victims, especially those of rape or gender-based violence.
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"Sometimes we fail to send information to the police due to these challenges, and victims end up being influenced to withdraw cases or remain silent, while perpetrators escape.
Stakeholders at the indaba said the remarks highlight the urgent need to strengthen collaboration between traditional leaders and formal justice systems, including training, improved infrastructure and resource allocation to ensure victims, particularly women and girls, can access justice.
