10. Monitoring and evaluation
5.3.4 Traditional leaders and local ward councillors
academies’ centre managers. The set of questions used in the semi-structured interviews were largely based on the themes that emerged during the first primary qualitative data collection, namely the focus groups.
The first set of semi-structured interviews were conducted with the traditional leaders of the communities in the areas in which the youth development academies are located. The concept of ‘traditional leaders’ in the context of this study was driven by the South African context in which traditional leadership is constructed and the legislative instruments that give effect to the definition and existence of traditional leadership. Traditional leadership in South Africa is given definition and prominence by Chapter 11, Section 211 of the Constitution of South Africa (1996), which defines and recognizes the status and role of traditional leadership in a constitutional democracy and the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act (2003). In the province of KwaZulu-Natal, the institution of traditional leadership is given additional legal status through the KwaZulu-Natal Traditional Leadership and Governance Act (2005). So, traditional leadership in this context is not a form of leadership as would normally be the case when defining leadership in general, but is what in other countries would be defined as tribal leadership.
leadership usually straddle or overlap municipal ward boundaries, as the traditional community demarcations and municipal boundary demarcations are not always aligned to each other. The two ward councillors who took part in this study represent Ward 16 of the uMhlabuyalingana Local Municipality and Ward 4 of uMlalazi Local Municipality respectively (KZN Provincial Gazette, 2016).
As they are situated in rural areas, the youth development academies find themselves in both traditional authority controlled areas as well as within a particular municipal ward under a local councillor. For qualitative data collection, semi-structured interviews were conducted with both the traditional leaders and ward councillors in the respective areas and wards where the youth development academies are located.
The data was organized according to the themes that emerged during the focus group discussions. In addition, the data was organized to respond to the research questions that seek to examine ‘the current management systems, practices and procedures at the youth development academies’ and ‘what are the challenges with the current arrangements?
To protect the identity of the two traditional leaders concerned with the study, the researcher opted to refer to them as either Traditional Leader A or Traditional Leader B.
This also serves the purpose of not openly identifying the youth development academy in question. The same applies to the two ward councillors. In order to protect their identity and the youth development academy in question, they will only be referred to as Councillor A and Councillor B.
Both the Traditional Leaders A and B are black, Zulu-speaking males. Councillor A and Councillor B reflect the same demographic profile as that of the traditional leaders. Both traditional leaders were reluctant to reveal their personal details to the researcher during the semi-structured interviews and as an ethical consideration as well as a sign of respect to the traditional leaders and elders, this was acknowledged in the study.
Table 5.4 is the presentation of the data collected from the traditional leaders.
Table 5.4: Presentation of data collected from traditional leaders What is the current
practice?
What are the challenges with the
current practice?
What are the suggested improvements?
Governance: Both Traditional Leaders A and B indicated that the NPO board is responsible for governance, assisted by the Department of Social Development.
Traditional Leader A felt the current NPO board should be changed because it is not representing local community interests, only political interests.
Traditional Leader B said the academy is not moving forward.
Traditional Leader A said a new NPO board representing the interests of the local community should be elected.
Traditional Leader B said the NPO board should be more professional with a set of skills to move the academy forward or maybe the DSD should take over with the NPO board as a consultative structure.
Management of
Cooperatives:
Traditional Leader A said the cooperatives are contracted to deliver services to the academy.
Traditional Leader B said the cooperatives provide a service to the academy and also provide jobs and skills for local people.
Traditional Leader A said there are no challenges except the lack of opportunities in the area beside what is available at the academy.
Traditional Leader B said that due to a lack of
other economic
opportunities in the area, other community members are unable to get a chance at the academy.
Traditional Leader A said that because of the lack of other opportunities in the area, the cooperatives should be allowed to continue.
Traditional Leader B said the current cooperatives should be capitalized and skilled to stand on their own.
What is the current practice?
What are the challenges with the
current practice?
What are the suggested improvements?
Stakeholder Management:
Who are other stakeholders and what role do they play?
Traditional Leader A said that the Inkosi/Chief and ward councillor are the key stakeholders. Traditional Leader B said the key stakeholders were traditional leadership, councillors, business, municipality and government.
What role do Traditional Leaders Play Currently?
Traditional Leader A said they play a minor role but they are representing their community. Traditional Leader B said they play a consultative role and sometimes assist where help is needed.
Traditional Leader A said the main challenge was the NPO board that is illegitimate. Traditional Leader B said that the lack of wide stakeholder involvement was a challenge. On the challenges with the situation at the moment, both Traditional Leaders A and B said there are currently challenges with the DSD, while Traditional Leader A felt that the overhaul of the current NPO board and the election of new members would address a number of issues.
Traditional Leader A said that the House of Traditional Leaders and Traditional Council provide guidelines on stakeholder representation and this should be upheld.
Traditional Leader B said more stakeholders should be involved for the advancement of the academies’ vision.
Both Traditional Leaders A and B felt that as long as the role of traditional leadership is respected and given space, all is well. Traditional Leader B felt they could help by mobilizing other stakeholders to become more involved.
Monitoring and evaluation: Traditional Leader A said they keep an eye on matters that affect the community.
Traditional Leader B said they have an oversight role on behalf of the community.
Both Traditional Leaders A and B felt the current system was fine with them.
Both Traditional Leaders A and B felt that the six monthly feedback sessions during graduation ceremonies provided them with sufficient progress reports on the academies.
Table 5.4 presents the results from the semi-structured interviews that were conducted with the two traditional leaders under whose jurisdiction the two academies are located.
In some instances, the two traditional leaders provide diametrically opposing views on particular subjects, while on others they are in consensus. This could be attributed to
them coming from different areas. The two traditional leaders were consulted when the youth development academy was conceptualized and they made valuable inputs (Nkosi, Personal Interview, 13 June, 2018 & Nkunjane, Personal Interview, 13 June, 2018). Given the fact that the land on which the two academies are built is in traditional areas falling under the jurisdiction of an Inkosi or traditional leader, means it is part of the Ingonyama Trust Land (Mbokazi, 2015). In the case of the eSicabazini Youth Development Academy, which was the first of the two academies, additional land to build extra classrooms, space for poultry, arts and crafts buildings as well as the new premises for the early childhood development centre was requested from the local Tembe Traditional Leader who asked the Traditional Council Resolution to provide the land. According to Nkunjane (Personal Interview, 13 June, 2018), this was duly granted and the local Induna, or headman, was dispatched to allocate the additional land. In the case of the Vuma Youth Development Academy, no additional land was sought as the allotted land was sufficient for the youth academy’s current needs (Nkosi, Personal Interview, 13 June, 2018).
As was the case with the two traditional leaders, the two ward councillors were reluctant to divulge their biographical details during the semi-structured interviews. As part of the ethical considerations during the research process, this view was respected and was disclosed as such in the study.
The data was organized according to themes that emerged during the semi-structured interview sessions. In addition, the data was organized to respond to the research questions that sought to examine ‘the current management systems, practices and procedures at the youth development academies’ and ‘what are the challenges with the current arrangements?
Table 5.5: Presentation of data collected from ward councillors
What is the current practice?
What are the challenges with the current
practice?
What are the suggested Improvements?
Governance: Councillor A said that the centre manager is responsible for governance.
Councillor B agreed with this view.
Councillor A said that the NPO board is not doing a good job. The community does not have a say.
Councillor B said he was happy with the board but felt they needed more skills.
Councillor A said that the DSD should manage the
academies and the
community should have a say in the employment of staff and the management of finances.
Students should only be from the local community.
Councillor B said the DSD should take over the management of the academy.
Management of Cooperatives: The cooperatives have an agreement with the academy to provide services, according to Councillor A. According to Councillor B, the cooperatives were not tied to contracts and were doing what they liked.
Councillor A said the same cooperatives have been providing services since inception. Need to give other community members a chance.
Councillor B felt that if cooperatives were removed from the academy they would cease to exist.
Councillor A felt there should be a rotation of cooperatives serving the academy.
Councillor B expressed the feeling that more catalytic economic activities by other government departments can have a positive contribution to economic growth in the community, thus allowing more participation by other members of the community.
What is the current practice?
What are the challenges with the current
practice?
What are the suggested Improvements?
Stakeholder Management:
Who are the other stakeholders and what role do they play?
Councillor A felt that the critical stakeholders are the Inkosi/Chief, the councillors and the community and they play little or no role.
Councillor B also felt that the Inkosi/Chief, the councillors and the community were the key stakeholders.
Councillor A felt the Inkosi/Chief and councillors were not properly consulted on the matters of the academy.
Councillor B was happy with the consultation process and the role that the local leadership was playing in the academy, but suggested a more engaging than informing relationship.
Councillor A said the Inkosi/Chief and the councillors should be the eyes, ears and voice of the community. There should be consultation with the community on the affairs of the academy. Councillor B felt that the level of consultation with local leadership could be improved and suggested a more engaging than informing relationship.
What role do ward councillors currently perform?
Councillor A said that they have little or no role.
Councillor B said that the councillor has a minimal role.
Both Councillors A and B
expressed their
dissatisfaction with the minimal role that they played and blamed this on the NPO boards and management of the academies.
Both Councillors A and B said they would like a more active role to represent the interests of the local community.
Monitoring and evaluation: According to Councillor A, this is done by the DSD and Councillor B agreed.
Councillor A said he was not aware of challenges with this. Councillor B said the challenge with this arrangement was that they, as local leaders, never get feedback.
Councillor A said that the DSD should continue with the monitoring of the academy.
Councillor B suggested that feedback to local leadership would be appreciated.
Table 5.5 represents the responses from the two ward councillors responsible for the municipal wards in which the academies are located. From the data collected during the semi-structured interviews the researcher noted that as much as both academies are located in the rural wards of their respective municipalities, the responses of the two councillors were divergent. It is not entirely clear why their views are so divergent. The researcher ascribes it to the fact that one academy began as a pilot and as a result there were numerous consultations with local stakeholders during the formative stages of the academy. Being the test case allowed for a more pedantic process of consultations, testing models and feedback. This was corroborated by the traditional leader where one of the academies is located, as he seemed more aware of the issues surrounding the academy. With regard to what could be the cause of the local leadership, including the traditional leader and the ward councillor not being fully aware of the issues surrounding the academy in their locality, this could be attributed to the speed with which the second academy was set up and made ready to commence with activities as a result of the need to deliver a fully functioning facility to the local community in a limited time frame (Shange’s Personal Interview, 18 May 2018).