The Sovereign Congress of African Leaders (SCAL) closed out 2025 with a powerful end-of-year celebration of some of the region’s most impactful traditional leaders.
SCAL is a strong emerging new leadership forum which represents royal traditional houses and leadership and seeks to help drive positive change in mostly rural communities suffering deep neglect.
The milestone event took place at Akasia Community Hall, 120 Disotus Ave, Karen Park, Pretoria, 0118 on the 16th of December, included the first-ever Natural Indigenous Leaders Awards. The awards form part of SCAL’s renewed mission to restore the dignity, authority and relevance of Africa’s royal and traditional leadership houses.
Professor Thabo Mpyane, President of SCAL and a leading voice within Royal20 – a sub-structure which was formed to input into the recent G20 summit which took place in Johannesburg - says the awards are both a celebration and a call to action.
“Our focus is on restoration,” he explained. “We want to restore the dignity, recognition and integrity that have been taken away from our traditional leaders over time. The difficulties and suffering many of our community's face is a direct result of this loss of influence.”
According to Prof Mpyane, royal and traditional leaders hold a revered place in the hearts and minds of African peoples.
“They are and will always remain the natural, permanent leaders of their people, and they are still deeply relevant in this modern age.”
Prof Mpyane, who is also an Eminent Peace Ambassador for the International Association of World Peace Advocates (IAWPA), which has United Nations ECOSOC Special Consultative Status, added that traditional leaders are not subject to the vagaries of elected office and political currents.Traditional leaders have historically been at the centre of community wellbeing and social cohesion, Mpyane emphasised.
“In times when kings and chiefs were respected, we had far less gender-based violence and fewer social ills,” he said. “People knew exactly where to go for assistance - their traditional leaders. We want to restore and revive that relationship.”
Speaking on the long-term vision behind the initiative, Nonhlanhla Sibanda, CEO at Mashudu Tinyiko, who presented SCAL’s 20-year strategic framework, added: “This is about moving traditional leadership from symbolic recognition to structured power, with systems, skills and sustainability at its core. Our 20-year strategy ensures that indigenous leadership is not only respected, but economically enabled, globally engaged and equipped to serve future generations.”
A Partnership Model That Puts Communities First Mpyane stressed that SCAL’s mission is not about resisting government but working alongside it.
“Governing ourselves does not mean being rebellious,” he said. “We are saying: let us work hand in glove with government, because traditional leaders are the custodians of the land, culture and people. Politicians are administrators - they cannot replace traditional leadership.”
He highlighted SCAL’s work in responding to the everyday challenges facing rural communities, from lack of schooling and infrastructure to poverty and unemployment, and being a crucial support network to communities in distress. “People come to us with problems long before government notices them,” he said. “We work to raise funds, attract partners, and bring tangible solutions. Sometimes that means helping families bury their loved ones with dignity, donating wheelchairs, providing agricultural seed, or supporting grassroots organisations. These small things change lives.”
Restoring Self-Sustainability Mpyane said SCAL is advocating for a return to self-reliance and community-driven development.
“We have land, but much of it is not being utilised,” he said. “While people wait for social grants, we encourage them to plant, farm, sell and feed their families. These are powerful steps toward long-term sustainability.” He added that SCAL is also committed to utilising and embracing tech and innovation to support the sustainable growth and development of communities.
“We support all efforts that makes the lives of our people better, that ensures that we don’t keep losing our young people to urbanisation because there is no future for them where they were born and grew up,” he said.
SCAL is currently finalising a 20-year strategy built on four pillars:
SCAL’s end-of-year function will culminate in the inaugural Natural Indigenous Leaders Awards, recognising individuals who exemplify outstanding leadership, cultural preservation, governance and community upliftment. The UN’s SADC director, as well as various Peace Ambassadors from IAWPA and ambassadors from various consulates will be in attendance. Mpyane said the event is meant to inspire renewed belief in the future of African traditional leadership.
“Our people are discouraged and confused by what is happening in the country,” he said. “We are to give them hope, to reassure them, to stand with them.”
He added that the ceremony will also “preach the gospel of Africanism - going back to our roots, our values, our respect, and the honour that must be returned to traditional leaders.”
“SCAL will always be there for our people,” Mpyane concluded. “We walk this journey together.”