Call for elected bandlancane, 5-yr term
PIGG’S PEAK – Some members of the public want bobandlancane to serve a five-year term like Members of Parliament (MPs) and bucopho.
This was a submission made by some of the participants during consultations on the Decentralisation Bill with banfwabenkhosi and chiefs at the Pigg’s Peak Hotel and Casino yesterday.
The meeting was facilitated by the Director in the Ministry of TinkhundlaAdministration and Development, Dumisani Sithole.
Sithole expounded the contents of the Bill after which the attendees posed questions and made submissions of what they best thought should be included in the Bill.
Also in attendance was the Minister David ‘Cruiser’ Ngcamphalala, Hhohho Regional Administrator Princess Tsandzile and members of the ministry’s Parliament Portfolio Committee, including the Acting Chairperson, Sifiso Sompisi Magagula.
Alfred Mnisi, who is from Malanti, questioned why members of served for life in their positions. He said it would be fair if they were also given a specific fiveyear term like others who served the public, such as Mnisi said he had noticed that members of the inner council served until they were old and were only removed by death from their positions.
During the same meeting, it was also noted that there were different ways of installing
bandlancane. In some communities, representatives said they were elected by the community members and that they chose men and women of high integrity. However, others like Siza Dlamini from Nsingeni, said this was not the case in their area as they were appointed.
Prince Kekela, the chief of Mvuma, said it would not make sense to elect bandlancane to serve only a five-year term. He said it was fine for politicians to be elected but said
bandlancane were not politicians. He said they played an important cultural role and that electing them would destroy the culture.
Chief Kekela submitted that this was the reason it was important for the communities to choose people who had integrity.
Another submission made by an attendee, who introduced himself as Zulu concurred with Chief Kekela’s submission. Zulu said he agreed that bandlancane should not be given a term like politicians.
He said it was through that Their Majesties were able to provide a service to the people.