Picture: The Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders/Supplied
By STAFF REPORTER
30 March 2026 – The North West Provincial Government (NWPG) has reiterated its dedication to bolstering traditional leadership’s position and recognising this role as a central pillar of governance, land stewardship and socio-economic development. This follows pronouncements made by the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi during the official opening of the Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders for the 2026/2027 term, held at the Lowe Chambers in Mahikeng.
The prestigious ceremony, presided over by Chairperson Kgosi Thari Maotwe, brought together Members of the Executive Council (MECs), Traditional Leaders, Mayors, and other key stakeholders, marking a significant moment in the province’s governance calendar.
Delivering the keynote address, Mokgosi emphasised the importance of traditional leadership in shaping the province’s developmental agenda. He further said they are deliberately repositioning traditional institutions from being peripheral stakeholders to becoming primary partners in economic transformation, investment facilitation, and sustainable development.
“Our traditional leaders remain enablers of our socio-economic trajectory, particularly as custodians of our land. We have announced bold interventions aimed at unlocking the economic potential of land under traditional authorities.
“They include the transfer of qualifying properties from the North West Development Corporation (NWDC) to traditional leaders. For a prolonged period, NWDC has held assets located on land under the jurisdiction of traditional leaders, without these assets generating meaningful economic returns for the rightful landowners,” he added.
Mokgosi said this intervention is aimed at restoring control, ownership and economic dignity to traditional communities. He said they will also ensure that these properties are not merely transferred, but are actively revitalized through structured investment facilitation.
Mokgosi also announced initiatives to ensure that communities directly benefit from provincial resources. He said these include the commercialisation of provincial parks, where traditional authorities and communities will participate as equity partners.
“This approach represents a shift from exclusionary conservation models to one that recognises communities as co-owners and beneficiaries.
“Over R90 million has been allocated for the refurbishment of traditional council offices and chambers, while additional investments will go towards tools of trade, including vehicles, laptops and mobile devices,” said Mokgosi.
He said the Traditional Councils were encouraged to utilise their monthly allocation of R100 000 effectively to strengthen administrative capacity and service delivery. Mokgosi said addressing key challenges affecting rural communities, the government’s focus on improving road infrastructure, water provision, housing and agricultural development.
“We believe the upgraded road network will enhance access to essential services such as clinics, schools and community facilities, while also creating over 3000 job opportunities through labour-intensive methods,” he said.
The Guardian 