President Jacob Zuma has bid farewell to the members of the National House of Traditional Leaders (NHTL) whose five-year term of office came to an end on Tuesday.
The house held its dissolution sitting on Tuesday afternoon and began the process towards the reconstitution of the NHTL for the next term at the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in Tshwane.
Addressing the house, President Zuma thanked the outgoing chairperson of the house, Kgosi Pontsho Maubane, and expressed his appreciation to all the outgoing members of the NHTL for having served the House with dedication, passion and excellence.
“I have no doubt that your families, traditional communities, traditional councils, your local and provincial houses, and of course the National House of Traditional Leaders, are all proud of you for having availed yourselves to serve them in this highly regarded fashion,” said President Zuma.
The role of the house include among others advising the President on matters relating to customary law.
“I am confident that the outgoing leadership has laid a firm foundation for the next coming NHTL to continue to work with government and our communities to improve the lives of all our traditional communities,” he added.
President Zuma further said he was pleased that the recent Indaba of Traditional and Indigenous Leaders had made concrete resolutions that will be implemented by government working with traditional leaders, other structures, as well as civil society. - SAnews.gov.za
