Traditional authority, democracy and protected areas: a quandary for African states

Abstract

This article examines the role of traditional authorities around protected areas in Africa, engaging with debates regarding the efficacy of traditional authorities in contemporary governance in Africa. Some scholars have supported such authority as epitomising African customs and practices, and thereby offering continuity and relevance. Others have questioned the usefulness and relevance of such authority in democratic spaces given their hereditary nature. The article considers these debates in relation to the challenges that arise due to protected areas being spaces of bifurcated governance, in contrast to other rural areas, utilising two case studies: Gwayi Forest in Zimbabwe and Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve in South Africa. Protected areas pose challenges for post-colonial African states regarding how they should be governed. The article argues that it is time for states to bring finality over the governance of such areas. State institutions should be restricted to an advisory role in protected areas. Local populations should be able to choose their own leadership and governance over these spaces.