Approval of special leave for ukuthwasa by the City of Tshwane signifies a notable transformation in employment law in relation to the recognition of African spirituality.
Posted: 5 June, 2025 Filed under: Kodisang Bokaba, Konanani Happy Raligilia, Rorisang Thage, Tendani Musekwa | Tags: African customary law, African People, ancestors, and traditional learning journey, City of Tshwane, Dlozi, Indigenous practices, initiation process, labour laws, medications and herbs, paid academic leave, progressive development, Sedimo, South Africa, special leave, spiritual calling, traditional healers, ukuthwasa, Vhadzimu Leave a comment|
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Konanani Raligilia |
Kodisang Bokaba |
Rorisang Thage |
Tendani Musekwa |
The City of Tshwane has recently approved a policy that provides special leave for employees who need to undergo ukuthwasa. Ideally, ukuthwasa is a process that involves the spiritual calling of people who were chosen by the ancestors to undergo the initiation process, which results in becoming traditional healers. This is a significant approval in South Africa, especially from a government institution. The announcement is a positive and progressive development from an employment law perspective. It also aligns with the Constitution’s values, recognising African customary law and indigenous practices. It addresses the issues related to the Indigenous practices of African people, particularly concerning the ongoing victimisation of those undergoing spiritual training. In contrast, individuals who pursue Western academic training continue to enjoy a recognised status in the workplace. We must shift our perspective to recognise that while the matter at hand is spiritual, the ukuthwasa journey is centred on learning. Therefore, it is important first to define and clearly understand what a spiritual calling is.
Critical analysis of Pan-African Parliament’s resolution on peace and security in Africa
Posted: 10 October, 2020 Filed under: Masalu Masanja | Tags: Africa, African Court, African People, African Union, Article 17, AU Constitutive Act, CEWM, conflict, Continental Early Warning Mechanism, economic integration, lack of expertise, Pan African Parliament, Pan-African Parliament, PAP, peace and security, Peace and Security Council, PSC, stumbling blocks, violence, war 2 Comments
Author: Masalu Masanja
LLM (HRDA) student, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
Introduction
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is among the nine organs of the African Union (AU) established with the aim of ensuring the full participation of African people in the development and economic integration of Africa. This purpose is anchored under Article 17 of the of the AU Constitutive Act. One of the objectives of PAP is the promotion of peace and security on the continent. In terms of its mandate, PAP is limited to consultative and advisory power within the AU. Its full-fledged legislative power is provided for under the Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union on the Establishment of the Pan-African Parliament (Malabo Protocol), which is yet to come into force. This opinion piece seeks to examine critically the resolution on peace and security with a specific focus on the Continental Early Warning Mechanism (CEWM).
War and violence in Africa are among the stumbling blocks to economic development and integration in Africa. Consequently, the PAP passed a resolution on the promotion of peace and security in Africa at its Second Session of the Fourth Parliament held from 5 to 17 October 2015. This opinion piece specifically focuses on PAP’s recommendation on the need of reinforcing CEWM in conflict prevention in Africa and the establishment of an African centre for conflict and arbitration focusing on providing training and capacity building on alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in the five sub-regions of Africa, under the oversight of African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
AfricLaw 