Traditional & Khoi-San Leadership Bill: Call for Submissions

Posted 06 July 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Parliament

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs has called for written public submissions on the new Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill, which is drafted to replace the constitutionally invalid 2019 statute.

The call for submissions follows a May 2023 Constitutional Court judgment that declared the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, No. 3 of 2019 unconstitutional and invalid. The apex court ruled that Parliament failed to facilitate adequate public participation during the legislative process. Although the court suspended the declaration of invalidity to allow Parliament to remedy the defect, the deadline has since been extended, leading to the introduction of the new Bill.

Once enacted and operationalised, the new Bill will formally replace the 2019 Act. The Portfolio Committee has set the deadline for written submissions on the Bill for 14 August 2026.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Maintain professional awareness of the evolving statutory framework governing traditional and Khoi-San leadership, particularly if practicing in constitutional, administrative, or property law.
  • For your business: Professional firms advising on projects in traditional communal areas must monitor the progress of this Bill to ensure future compliance strategies align with the revised statutory consultation requirements.
  • For your clients: Clients operating or planning commercial, mining, or agricultural developments within traditional territories must prepare for potential changes in leadership recognition and community consultation protocols when the new legislative framework is finalised.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/traditional-khoi-san-leadership-bill-parliamentary-committee-calls-for-submissions

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