A group of MK veterans, dressed in uniform, salute. File Picture: Members of the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association salute at the ANC's centenary celebrations in Bloemfontein earlier this year. Picture: Reuters.
Durban - Deputy President David Mabuza, who heads the presidential task team on military veterans, said on Tuesday that the government would be rolling out initiatives to alleviate their plight.
Two years ago, the Liberation Struggle War Veterans (LSWV) staged a march to the Union Buildings and asked President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government to assist former liberation Struggle combatants to be compensated for their sacrifices. The group consisted of members of 11 military veterans’ associations including the MKMVA, APLAMVA and AZANLAMVA.
Their demands included better living conditions, employment, housing and medical aid
An MKMVA veteran, who listened to Mabuza’s address, said the Military Veterans Act places an obligation on the state to roll out military pensions, housing and free access to military health services to veterans and their dependants, but this was not taking place at a fast enough pace.
“Veterans feel betrayed and neglected by the government of the ruling party as most of us are struggling to make ends meet.”
Mabuza said on Tuesday that following approval of the military veterans’ pension policy, the DMV (Department of Military Veterans) had made provision for pensions to be paid.
The department is also looking at initiatives regarding education to support veterans enrolled at institutions such as Unisa.
It is also trying to cater for an organisation that can adequately deal with military veterans’ affairs at a provincial level.
This would allow veterans to be assisted at the closest point, shortening the turnaround time on service delivery.
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