Chieftaincy and democratic local governance in rural South Africa: Natural resources management in QwaQwa

Abstract

This paper examines the changing role of chieftaincy in relation to democratic institutions of local governance in QwaQwa in the Eastern Free State and in particular the implications for the management of natural resources. Referring to a case study of grass usage, the paper identifies the shift from chieftaincy to democratic local governance as one of the factors that have undermined the chiefs' control over the use of natural resources, as infrastructural development takes precedence over management of natural resources in municipal planning and service delivery. The ensuing absence of control over the use of grass broadly reflects the unclear institutional framework for natural resources management on communal land in rural South Africa. However, despite the power struggle that generally goes on between chiefs and elected councillors of QwaQwa, there is potential for building on areas of common interest to improve natural resources management in the area.

Keywords:

• chieftaincy
• municipality
• local government
• natural resources

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the respondents who shared their views with us during the research process. The research was part funded through the Carnegie Corporation, the National Research Foundation and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa. Any omissions or errors remain our own.

Notes

¹The term ‘democratic governance’ is used in this paper to refer to the local government system which is led by elected representatives, without necessarily implying that the system is democratic by all standards.

²The term ‘chief’ is used interchangeably with ‘traditional leader’.