Paper short abstract:

Despite the view about irrelevance of the institution of traditional leaders in a democracy, the current rural struggles against the imposition of unelected headmen open up possibilities regarding the democratisation of headmanship as the lower layer within the institution of traditional leaders.

Paper long abstract:

Debates have been going on since the dawn of democracy in South Africa on whether the recognition of the institution of traditional leaders in the constitution was in line with the democratic principles the same constitution espouses or not. While some scholars believe the institution of traditional leadership is compatible with democracy, others see the institution as incongruent with the democratic dispensation. In line with arguments of the latter group is a view that rural residents do not elect their leaders.

This paper reflects on experiences of rural people regarding this issue of democracy, particularly the right of rural people to elect their leaders. The author argues that there are possibilities for the introduction of democracy from below by rural residents. The fact that residents of Cala Reserve successfully challenged, through the High Court, the imposition of an unelected headman gave the residents the right of electing their leaders. Since the High Court judgement there has been a groundsell of rural residents in various rural villages across the Eastern Cape demanding the right to elect their leaders. Victories of rural residents in a few communities their demand to elect their leaders highlights that through struggles rural residents have the ability to introduce democracy from below.

Keywords: Traditional leaders, Cala Reserve, imposition of an unelected headman, democracy from below.