National House of Traditional Leaders Act, 2009 (Act No. 22 of 2009)3. Composition of House |
| 1) | The House consists— |
| a) | of three persons who are senior traditional leaders elected by each provincial house: Provided that where on good grounds shown or due to an insufficient number of senior traditional leaders in a provincial house, such provincial house may elect headmen or headwomen. |
| b) | where relevant, of persons identified in terms of subsection (2). |
| 2) | The provisions of subsection (1)(b) apply only in cases where a provincial house has not been established, and will be implemented as follows: |
| a) | Where there are more than three traditional councils performing functions of a local house, the chairpersons of such councils must elect from amongst themselves three representatives to the House; or |
| b) | where there are three or a lesser number of traditional councils performing functions of a local house, the chairpersons of such traditional councils must be ex officio members of the House; or |
| c) | where there are one or more local houses, the senior traditional leaders from within the province must elect from amongst themselves three representatives to the House. |
| 3) | The chairperson of a traditional council or a local house referred to in subsection (2) must be a senior traditional leader, and if he or she is not a senior traditional leader the traditional council or the local house concerned must elect another member who is a senior traditional leader. |
| 4) | At least a third of the members of the House must consist of women: Provided that if the Minister is satisfied that there is an insufficient number of women to participate in the House the Minister must, after consultation with the Premier of the province in question and the provincial house concerned, determine a lower threshold. |