Municipal leaders (municipal managers and council members) are at loggerheads with traditional leaders to a certain extent despite the provisions of Municipal Structures Act,1998 and Municipal Systems Act, 2000 vis-à-vis traditional leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003. The two structures have one locale and focus. They have a common home ground focusing on serving one clientele being the citizenry in their jurisdiction and their paradox is a cause for concern, as it frustrates and compromises service delivery. This article raises critical issues affecting both local government and traditional leaders. The subject was triggered by research surveys and a number of training workshops facilitated by the author. To a certain extent, the operation of the traditional leaders is not completely part of a whole local sphere of government in terms of the planning and practice. The current locale of traditional leaders under the