MULENZHE – "The government has no money to pay those fly-by-night chiefs," said MEC Catherime Mabuza at Piet Boy village last Wednesday.

Mabuza said the salary of traditional leaders is an extremely complex problem.

After thorough investigations and checking both legal and financial implications, the Provincial Government decided to address this imbalance, she said. Areas of Lebowa and Gazankulu, which never experienced payment of their headmen, were finally considered for payment.

She said remarkable progress has been made in putting those deserving headmen in line to benefit from this gesture. While the process is to be concluded in a few weeks' time, the programme did not go as smoothly as anticipated, she added.

The MEC said there are some traditional leaders who, through their activities, frustrated this process and caused serious delays. Among other problems is that some traditional leaders whose areas are not covered by the cabinet decision wanted to take advantage of bringing more headmen than they qualified for, added Mabuza.

"In some areas, additional new headmanships were created in an attempt to beef up a traditional authority. This cannot be accepted," she said.

"Our advice is that traditional leaders should not take advantage of the respect they enjoy, by misleading their subjects," Mabuza said.

Traditional leaders should instead reciprocate this respect with respect, honesty and faithfulness to their people, she said.

In other areas, traditional leaders are pushing out dedicated old headmen who discharged their responsibilities loyally over the years without payment. "This state of affairs cannot be condoned, as it is unfair and unjust," the MEC said.

Traditional leadership is passed from one generation to the other through a royal family lineage, or what is known as genealogy. Family members taken into headmenship positions constitute nepotism and the government cannot sanction such an action. Whoever can be identified as practising nepotism will be dismissed summarily. If payment has been made already, he or she may be required to repay the money.

Traditional leaders were also advised to refrain from deviating from the customs in appointing headmen.

The Traditional Affairs Directorate is still committed to give you the service due to you, without any prejudice.