“Government has wished away its liberation fighters.” This is the essence of the article, “The forgotten soldiers” (April 4), based on important research by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation that focused on the plight of military veterans of the liberation struggle and those of the former South African Defence Force (SADF).
The area is one in need of debate, but an impression should not be created that the government does not care and is not attempting to address the plight of military veterans of the struggle against apartheid. For us it is a matter of concern and a priority. Since 1986, it’s been recognised as an imperative.
Then already, discussions were held with the relevant state and provincial departments and the recognised military veterans’ organisations including Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veteran’s Association, the Azanian Peoples’ Liberation Army Military Veterans’ Association and the Council of Military Veterans’ Organisations. Out of these discussions, the Military Veterans Act was passed.
In terms of the Act the minister of defence has appointed military veterans to serve on the Advisory Board on Military Veterans’ Affairs, whose sole function is to attend to the interests of military veterans and to advise the minister of defence.
South Africa is the first country with such a law in place.
This advisory board is able to represent all military veterans and is currently articulating their views and needs to both the minister of defence and the state president, who is patron-in-chief of all military veterans in the country. Therefore, recent media reports stating that military veterans have been totally neglected or betrayed do not give a balanced picture or deal with the challenges that liberation has trailed in its wake.
When the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was formed in April 1994 and the liberation armed formations were abolished, for various reasons, thousands of these ex-combatants were not integrated into the new national
defence force.
There were some who failed to meet the set criteria, some chose to seek alternative employment, while others took the offered package and when the money ran out were faced with economic hardships, as well as a sense of isolation.
Following the attainment of democracy in 1994, the need for a large military force fell away and as a result, a number of force members from the SADF and those from the former Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei states also had to be laid off.
However, the pay-off was not enough to ensure that these people were able to make a sustainable living.
Both Umkhonto weSizwe and the Azanian Peoples’ Liberation Army were unconventional forces and did not keep detailed personnel records. Now many combatants cannot be traced.
This makes it difficult to plan properly and to ensure that the needs of everyone are addressed.
The defence ministry is setting up a database of all former combatants to address this problem.
It will be an exhaustive database, with full socio-economic details. The details will be included in the register of military veterans and each member will be issued with an ID card to enable him/her to access the benefits that all other military veterans are getting.
The Advisory Board on Military Veterans Affairs also addresses other issues that affect ex-combatants. Several amendments to the Special Pensions Act of 1996 are due to be passed soon by Parliament to achieve parity and fairness in the provision of state military pensions.
The amendments will facilitate recognition of service and improved access to military pensions for those who qualify and who served in the non-statutory forces.
The Act also makes provision for the payment of special pensions to the eligible dependants of military veterans.
There are various projects in place that are aimed at helping ex-combatants to reintegrate harmoniously into civil society and also to provide them with the necessary skills to find or create employment.
Plans are under way to broaden the mandate of the SANDF Service Corps to serve even those who are outside of the Department of Defence, including ex-combatants of the liberation movement.
The Department of Defence in partnership with the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in Braamfontein has set up a project to re-skill military veterans called the Tswelopele Pilot Project, which is based at Technikon South Africa.
The defence department has teamed up with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in Operation Vuselela to eradicate alien vegetation from SANDF land.
The project, in operation in five provinces, enables a number of military veterans to earn a basic income to cater for their essential needs.
Through the Umsobomvu Youth Fund, the SANDF’s Service Corps aims to help demilitarised youths between the ages of 18 and 35, especially those who were in
community self-protection organisations just before the 1994 election.
These young veterans are offered courses that provide them with the necessary skills to find or create self-employment, at a centre near Johannesburg.
The centre provides training in construction and various aspects of agriculture, including flower care.
By the end of the course, graduates can bid for tenders at various government departments to restore clinics, schools and hospitals.
At this centre they are also provided with psychologists and other counsellors to help them cope with their emotional burdens.
While the government is doing all it can to address the plight of military veterans, it is important to remember many combatants from the non-statutory forces were
voluntary soldiers for freedom.
A project is under construction near Pretoria, named Freedom Park, to honour and show appreciation for all those who fought for the liberation of South Africa.
Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge is the deputy minister of defence