The Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act 3 of 2019 (TKLA) was established in 2019 to formally recognise Khoi and San communities, along with their leadership structures, and aimed to address the shortcomings of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act 41 of 2003 (TLGFA).
The Bill aims to recognise and regulate Traditional and Khoi-San leadership structures – outlining roles, responsibilities, and interaction with government institutions. It represents an opportunity and a challenge in ensuring their meaningful inclusion in governance.
Similar to the TKLA, the TKLB repeals and replaces the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act and the National House of Traditional Leaders Act 22 of 2009.
Download a copy of the Bill.
In a snapshot of the timeline: In 2021 – The Traditional Khoi-San Leadership Act 3 of 2019 came into affect; in May 2023 the Constitutional Court declared the Act 3 of 2019unconstitutional and invalid; on 29 November 2024 Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) published the draft Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill 2024 for public comment.
The deadline to submit comments on the Draft Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill, 2024 is Friday 28 February 2025.
This factsheet highlights some of the key elements around the current process and how to comment on the bill.
