Khoi-San bill tabled for year end in Parliament

THE Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill will most likely be tabled before Parliament in November.

The portfolio committee on co-operative governance and traditional affairs said the bill seeks, among other things, to provide for the statutory recognition of the legitimate Khoi-San leadership and communities.

Richard Mdakane, chairperson of the portfolio committee, said the “bill also provides for the integration of recognised Khoi-San leaders into existing houses of traditional leadership, called houses of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders. Separate structures for the Khoi-San will fall away”.

Yesterday was the last of the hearings which took place in Saldanha Bay, where the portfolio committee on co-operative governance and traditional affairs conducted hearings across the Western Cape.

Mdakane said it will be taking all the inputs and deliberations made at the hearings, and draft it into the bill.

This will be taken to the National Assembly to vote in November.

“Issues that came out of the hearings were about about land which we will be referring to the Department of Rural development and Land Reform. People also raised the language of the Khoi which they want to be included among the 11 official languages of the country.

“People were also concerned about laws that excluded Khoi-San leaders,” Mdakane said.

The aim of the bill is to give Khoi-San leaders recognition and be part of one house of traditional leaders. Nelson Mandela started this process in 1997.

The Khoi-San are scattered across the country and a lot of research had to be conducted.

Hennie van Wyk, the chief of the Gorachouqua tribe in the Western Cape, said they are not in favour of the bill.