Mashatile urges traditional leaders to promote democracy

Paul Mashatile has urged traditional leaders to encourage eligible voters to participate in the May 29 general elections, and ensure that they are free and fair.

The Deputy President, as the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on matters of Traditional and Khoi-San leaders, delivered a keynote address on Tuesday, during a dialogue convened by the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders in Pretoria.

“We will, as a nation, hold the seventh democratic National and Provincial Elections. In this context, traditional leaders should continue to encourage all eligible voters to participate in the elections,” he said.

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“We urge traditional leaders to promote free and fair elections and ensure that all voters exercise their democratic right — a right that was hard fought for and must never be taken for granted.”

Mashatile also took the time to urge rural leaders to work with the government to address the killings of traditional leaders.

“As an institution located in rural areas, it is important that we collaborate to identify obstacles that are hampering community development, such as the killing of traditional leaders, especially in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

“We encourage amakhosi and izinduna to continue working closely with the government to address this challenge effectively,” he stressed.

The Deputy President condemned acts of violence and urged the community to serve as government’s eyes and ears by reporting those who conspire or have committed such crimes to the authorities.