Kgoshi ke kgoshi ka batho when translated conveys that chiefs are chiefs because of the people. Chieftainship was the ancient way of governance in Africa and particularly in Southern Africa.
Chieftainship was also considered the most common form of political structures in Southern Africa. Prior to the apartheid era chiefs and kings were very influential on the people in the Zulu, Pedi, Swazi, Ndebele, the Transkei tribes and other tribes in South Africa. In their political system chiefs and kings were seen as superior figures in the society and most individuals living in their clan had to follow orders conveyed by the chief and king. This essay will consider the role of chieftaincy in a democratic South Africa
Kincaid formula
The Kincaid Formula has been developed for Navy training manuals, that ranged in difficulty from 5.5 to 16.3. It is probably best applied to technical documents, because it is based on adult training manuals rather than school book text. Dialogs (often found in fictional texts) are usually a series of short sentences, which low- ers the score. On the other hand, scientific texts with many long scientific terms are rated higher, although they are not necessarily harder to read for people who are familiar with those terms.
Its important to note that Chiefs where not democratically elected into their roles. During the apartheid regime the ANC circle highly assumed that chieftaincy would not persist in the post apartheid era. How ever in the 1950’s sebatakgomo which was an organization cherished chiefly power. This proves that chiefly power was still influential during that period because many organizations respected chiefly power. However Chiefly power during early 1900’s was also exercised in gene...
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...s are of royal decent. Tribal elders still respect chieftaincy and state how they “were here to help and guide the chiefs”. In terms of constitutionality and chiefs, the chiefs do not have power to amend or reject legislation and can only serve as a purpose of advisory. This would therefore reduce chiefly power in a democratic South Africa .However it is important to consider that chiefs are extremely important because the interim constitution and the final constitution make provisions for traditional leaders.
In conclusion chieftaincy is very important especially considering that they exercise administration in the area. How ever certain bills must be created for the regulation of a chief’s conduct. It is also important to consider that many people still live in remote rural areas and they need guidance. I am therefore in favor of chieftaincy in democracy.
Thornton is a graduate from Millersville University, Pennsylvania. He is an American historian specialized in the history of Africa and the African Diaspora. He is also a history professor in Boston University. My paper speaks about the legitimacy of Nzinga’s coming to rule. I use Thornton’s piece for information about her rise to power.
...onsible for making sure that their people pay tribute (i.e. taxes) and negotiating with other groups (i.e. foreign affairs.) The fact that the position is hereditary though is the exact opposite of how the American political system works. Term limits also provide a big difference between chiefdoms and the modern American political system. A chief is in power until he dies or is killed, but most American political officials in the legislative and executive branches are only there for 2-6 years at a time with some having the chance to be reelected. The fact that chiefs hold the position for life is similar to the fact that U.S. Supreme Court judges hold their position for as long as they see fit or until they die. However still, no one in the American political system is there because of hereditary reasons. Everyone supposedly gets to office on his or her own accord.
In Cape Town we have a very rich culture and heritage, starting as early as the Khoisan era and leading up to the liberated society that we are today. South Africa has progressed through many different trials and tribulations throughout the years, conquering numerous noteworthy feats such as slavery and the Apartheid struggle (Bray, 2008). “South Africa is democratic developing country where everybody has the right to vote so that their voices may be heard” (Smith, 1999).
At an undetermined point in the history of man, a people, while still in the state of nature, allowed one person to become their leader and judge over controversies. This was first the patriarch of a family, then the wisest or fittest militarily of a tribe. These leaders ruled by wisdom and discretion, though neither they nor their followers were subject to any ratified laws. These rulers represented the earliest signs of an emerging hierarchical order, yet did not constitute a government in the formal sense.
The apartheid era in South Africa began shortly after the Boer War as the Afrikaner National Party overtook the government following the country’s independence from Great Britain. The Afrikaners, or Dutch descendants, won the majority in 1948 in the first election for the country’s government. Only a short time after were apartheid laws initiated by the minority white descendants. In the Afrikaans language, apartheid’s literal meaning is “separateness,” which is exactly what the laws were designed for. The Afrikaner National Party initiated the laws to ensure their dominance of economic and social powers, but more importantly to strengthen white people’s preeminence by segregating whites and colored peoples. In order to do this, the Afrikaners limited the freedom of colored people in various ways. First, t...
National identity can be explained as a group of people belonging to the same nation no matter what their culture or religion is. They share a common national anthem, language, history, laws and government. Segregation and discrimination have been problems rooted in South African history for a long period. There is a diversity of cultures and languages and therefore tension is high among the various groups. In 1994, the African National Congress was elected. Along with this National Congress came the notion to achieve a uni...
In Africa, the interests of various individuals and groups have transformed the possession of power into nightmarish dimensions due to the flaws in the political structures of the societies. Although some of these degenerative weaknesses have been explained by historical experiences, there still remains the fact that the progressive development of any society depends on a conscious pruning of flawsin the organizational structure of the society by those with the power to provide guidance and direction. Moreover, this burden of leadership could elicit either patriotic parasitic tendencies in the utilization and exercise of power. (Ehling 23-25)
In 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected to the highest office of the land. Faced with issues like an economic crisis and racial tensions, Mandela inherited a difficult set of problems. While Mandela’s new position had allocated legitimate power, “influence that is created through a title or status”, due to the severity of the issues, Mandela needed new means of acquiring power, “the ability to influence how others behave,” to garnish unified support throughout the country (P. 329). Mandela understood that to achieve this he would have to adopt various techniques to provide leadership, “a process of influence aimed at directing behavior toward the accomplishment of objectives” (P.326).
Marks, Shula, and Stanley Trapido. "South Africa Since 1976: A Historical Perspective." South Africa: No Turning Back (1988): 1-45. Print.
A Brief History of Apartheid in South Africa Apartheid is not a new thing. Ever since Dutch colonists landed in 1652, "Blacks" and "Whites" have lived apart in South Africa. Officially started in 1948 when the Afrikaner Nationalist party came to power, apartheid is a system of racial laws devised to "Preserve and promote a white majority over a black majority. " It has a lot of opposition and it led to an international boycott of South Africa because of it. When the Dutch first landed and established a strong colony there, they got on relatively peacefully with the natives.
...ellent policies, 5) the Constitution had come into existence through the working together of various groups that had composed South Africa, 6) South Africa's political and economic institutions are well established, 7) and that South Africa is by far the most developed country in Africa. However, there are still avenues that can impede further progress, more so economically then politically. Primarily the lack of foreign investment, especially when South Africa's gold and diamond reserves are emptied as other parts of economy are not as developed. Secondly, the economic gap between whites and blacks that was stretched during the time of apartheid needs to be tightened or else it could become dangerous to the stability of the political system. However, due to the leadership of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s current government structure exists to solve these issues.
It can be easily stated that the apartheid movement bestowed cruel and unusual punishments upon the people of South Africa, in order to execute its purpose. However, apartheid could have not been carried out if they were not individuals who believed in its principles. In order to understand the National parties ideologies regarding the issue of apartheid, it is essential to acknowledge the history of Boer soc...
Dr. Alex Borraine once said, “ I still believe that goodness and beauty, compassion and new beginnings, can triumph over the evil which seems to be all-persuasive.” Archbishop Desmond Tutu is an incredibly controversial man, with this being said his speech at Stellenbosch in August 2011 made headlines around the world. His speech was about the fact that the white population, being the beneficiaries of the apartheid system, should pay a “wealth tax”. This caused heavy debate within our country and therefore the main topic that will be addressed in this essay. Specific reference will be made to transformative constitutionalism and whether this “wealth tax” would be constitutional within our country.
The Zulus tribe is an independent clan and the largest ethnic group in South Africa. The Zulu clan reputation is well known for their proud, fierce, and barbaric behavior. According to Ethnologies, in 1816 a new chief Shaka Zulu conquered and created a nation that was named after him. His descendants made up the Zulu clan. During the year of 1820, Native Africans did not have any political rights. The king of the Zulu ethnic groups or clans was the only one allowed to have judicial and legislative power. Zulu chiefs steadily demanded increasing tribute to taxes from their acquired great wealth, commanded large armies; in many cases a Zulu military status allow men to achieve distinctions chiefdoms.
Old South Africa is best described by Mark Uhlig, “The seeds of such violent conflict in South Africa were sown more than 300 years ago, with the first meetings of white settlers and indigenous black tribes in an unequal relationship that was destined one day to become unsustainable” (116).