Peculiar places and legitimate chiefs?: an exploration of the role of traditional authorities in the titled locality of kwaMeyi village, Umzimkhulu district, South Africa

Abstract

There is little doubt that traditional leaders continue to make an indelible mark on the practice of politics across the continent of Africa. In democratising South Africa, the relevance of this institution is debated extensively. In the main, traditional leaders are described as the embodiment of patriarchy, comprised of unelected male representatives who rule with "clenched fist" on an unwilling populous (Mamdani, 1996:23). It is argued that traditional authorities "...can only secure legitimacy by drawing its sustenance from the modern state, working as a complement to democratic local government" (Southall and Kropiwnicki, 2003:76). In light of these assertions, this thesis answers two questions: do traditional leaders have a role to play in democratising South Africa?