• We would like that the following be taken care in terms of the review process."'

• Serve should be prioritised instead of age for those who were 35 year old by December 1^st 1996. Most only started families after 1990 and are unemployable. They can't cope with the current rate.

• Alternative is found for those who were less than 35 at that time e.g. "Skills /Education.

• The National Treasury should engage other government departments and assist them to find alternatives

• Remuneration for dependence should be monthly not a once-off payment.

• Benefits such as burial and medical scheme be arrange e,g. access to public health centres without be harass to pay for your stay in hospital.

• Biographies should be understood in the real context of the revolution, ie, if one was working but m his biography states that the money was used to support the revolution that case should be considered. The ANC must verify that as most who spent their monies on operations are being turned down whilst they never accumulated any pension.

• Affidavits and letters from the ANC be used for those who fell in exile and had no death certificates. These cases should also involve those who died after 1990 who were still in exile to round-up training or other organisational deployment.

We hope these will be met with good faith as we ask for these to be done due to what we have seen to be a problem for our members.

Compiled by:S’khumbuzo Qwabe

Provincial Chairperson

SUBMISSION TO THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

1. It is highly appreciated that we have been finally afforded an opportunity to articulate our position in respect of Special Pensions. This gesture is indeed very commendable, Our simple and general understanding of the word "pension" means money attributable to an individual or rather an employee whose portion of remuneration had been deducted by the employer over a period of time and thus channelling it to the employee's pension fund for later use. This translates that the employee is entitled to this money since he/she has been making payments towards the pension fund from his / her salary or wages whilst still working for the employer/s.

2. In our context as former Non-Statutory Forces members who sacrificed many of our years without any form of remuneration to achieve liberation for all South Africans before and after 1994 we are not considered by the present pension set-up. The only solution to rectify given situation is to accommodate us in the Special Pensions as a matter of urgency.'

3-It is indeed worrying that those who stood up to be counted in a fight against apartheid have nothing to show for the sweat and suffering they endured during those years of hardship. It is really ironic that those who fought for the preservation and sustenance of an undemocratic government prior are the ones today receiving pensions at the expense of those who made South Africa a free country.

4. It is humble request from us that the Special Pension issue must be finalized now once and all. Many of our comrades who were bread winners have died and left their families destitute and penniless because their pension contributions were too little since there was no provision for the recognition of their heroic and loyal service towards freedom. To witness families of our comrades living from hand-to-mouth because of the failure of our own government to give them pension is a painful and

traumatic experience