Ahead of the November 4 local government elections, several traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape have stepped out of their royal houses and into the political arena, vying for mayoral positions in various municipalities. In King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD), three traditional leaders are linked to the municipality's top job, including the incumbent mayor, Nkosi Mkhanyiseli Dudumayo, who is also the provincial secretary of Contralesa.
The ANC has identified Nkosi Mandla Mandela, the traditional leader of Mvezo Great Place and grandson of Nelson Mandela, as its mayoral candidate in KSD. However, Mandela's name does not appear on the ANC's list of proportional representation or ward councillor candidates for KSD submitted for the elections. Mandela confirmed that his name was absent from the list, stating that he had no explanation for the omission.
The UDM has unveiled AmaMpondo senior prince Nkosi Mlindandle Ndamase, grandson of former homeland president King Tutor Ndamase, as its KSD mayoral candidate. Ndamase, who joined the UDM in August after leaving the ANC, declared war on corruption, vowing to cleanse the municipality of corrupt practices. He also criticised the state of Mthatha, claiming that the municipality had not built a single building in 32 years and that lawlessness had become part of everyday life.
In Mnquma, the PAC has nominated Nkosi Phathuxolo Tyali as its mayoral candidate. Tyali, a prominent traditional leader in Centane and Mnquma, is a former deputy chair of the Amathole House of Traditional Leaders and chair of the Mnquma Traditional Initiation Forum. Tyali stated that it was high time traditional leaders showed their skills in leading the people, citing a lack of development in rural areas and deteriorating conditions in urban areas.
Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders deputy chair Nkosi Gwazinamba Matanzima has been roped in as the MK Party's mayoral candidate for the Vuyisile Mini Local Municipality in Cofimvaba. Contralesa provincial chair Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana noted that the emergence of traditional leaders in party politics reflected their willingness to take a more active role in governance.
The trend of traditional leaders entering municipal politics follows a call by AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo for traditional leaders to contest local elections as independents or party candidates and take greater control of development in their communities. An earlier example was set by Nkosi Phikolomzi Langa, who became mayor in Port St Johns after moving from traditional leadership into municipal politics.
The municipalities of KSD, Port St Johns, and Mnquma serve some of the poorest communities in the Eastern Cape, where traditional leaders retain strong influence in communal areas. Nonkonyana stated that the trend reflected a desire to recognise traditional leadership within the democratic system, adding that it was essential to give traditional leaders powers and functions to enable them to drive development in their communities.
Key points
- Traditional leaders are contesting for mayoral positions in several Eastern Cape municipalities ahead of the November 4 local government elections.
- The trend reflects a desire to recognise traditional leadership within the democratic system and give traditional leaders powers and functions to drive development in their communities.
- Traditional leaders have been nominated as mayoral candidates in KSD, Mnquma, and Vuyisile Mini Local Municipality.
