Responsible Inf luence of Traditional Leadership on School
Governance in KwaZulu-Natal
Sandile S. Mbokazi
13 th International EMASA Conference
27-29 July 2012
 Examine a responsible kind of influence that traditional leaders exert on school
governance
 Although a platform for their involvement on schooling has been created through
policy, the nature of influence of traditional leadership is determined by the types
of school involvement they have adopted
 The concept of ‘influence’ appears to be a common thread which runs throughout
most definitions of leadership
 This paper provides a framework and scenarios that can be used to understand the
conceptual relationship among responsible, transformational and invitational
approaches leadership, in order to understand the possible typologies of influence
 The paper draws largely from formal and informal conversations with traditional
leaders and principals.
There
are
two
participating
communities with four school each,
i.e. two primary schools and two
secondary schools
Intended Informants are traditional
leaders [Amakhosi and traditional
councils]
School governors [parents, educators
and learners]
School
managers
[School
Management Teams –principals and
HODs
Education managers [Superintended
of Education Management]
Transformational
•
•
•
•
Influence attitudes to ensure
realisation of vision and
mission
Focussing
on
common
purpose, while addressing
intrinsic rewards, i.e. selfactualisation and developing
commitment of the led
Challenging the process of
change, inspiring shared
vision, enabling others to
act, modelling the way and
encouraging the heart
Leader effects change in the
attitudes of others while he,
him or herself is changing
MUTUAL
INFLUENCE
RESPONSIBLE
Invitational
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bring energy to bare in social
change
Aspire to serve the best
interest of the nations
Ascertain quality of institution
and dynamism of leaders
Ability to respond flexibly to
change
Balance interaction within and
without institutions
Balancing competing demands
and engaging people in
collective goals
PROACTIVE
INFLUENCE
•
•
•
Characterised
by
either
positive
or
negative
interactions that shape one’s
concept of self
Inform people that they are
able,
responsible
and
worthwhile
Create an environment that
is caring, valuing, tolerant,
non-discriminatory,
not
demeaning
communicate
through
interpersonal
interactions;
policies, programmes and
institutional practices, as
well
as,
the
physical
environments and context
MOTIVATIONAL
INFLUENCE
 There are liquid differences between responsible, transformational, and
invitational leadership, and that the kinds of influences that can be
exerted through such approaches to leadership, are interlinked
 Three typologies of influence are suggested as linking to the typologies of
leadership. These are mutual, proactive, and motivational influence
 There are no concrete boundaries between these typologies, but that they
are liquid and superficial constructs
 The term ‘influence’ is used to mean that traditional leaders may –
negatively or positively –manipulate or have power, and effect over school
governance
Traditional Leadership
School Governing Body
• Minority
• Minority
• Majority
Noneducator
Personnel
Parents
Learners
Educators
• Minority
Positive
School Ethos
and Culture
Schools as Centres of
Learning and Community Life
Partnership
between
Schools and
Communities
PASSIVE
PARTICIPATION
PATRIOTISM
• State of readiness to influence
• Exploring all opportunities to participate
in school governance or in education
system
• Increase ones policy and regulation
awareness of legislation within
education
• Drawing from previous roles played
within the system
• Empower other traditional leaders to
play a meaningful role in education
• Become chairperson or parent member
in SGBs
• Ensure growth and maturity in
influencing school governance
• Willingness or unwillingness to
influence
• Default influence through consultation
by local schools

While they are seen as authoritative and non-progressive, this paper show that traditional
leaders can contribute to the education of the South African child through creative and
innovative support to school governance in a number of schools in KwaZulu-Natal.

This is done through strengthening the role of school governing bodies by ensuring safety and
security, promoting infrastructural development and community ownership of schools

This contribution, however, is accomplished through three different typologies of traditional
leadership involvement: passive, participation, and patriotism, which exists in a continuum

The examples presented in the paper illustrated a number of scenarios where traditional
leaders were adopting mutual, proactive and motivational influence to governance in schools
within their jurisdiction.

The agenda of developing responsible leadership in South Africa, and particularly in KwaZuluNatal, must find ways in which the traditional leadership is seen as an important player in
education and development.

There are important lessons that this structure presents, which may be founded within the
indigenous knowledge systems that can strengthen the democracy in South African schools.