UMKHONTO WESIZWE MILITARY VETERANS ASSOCIATION

GAUTENG PROVINCIAL OFFICE

SUBMSSION TO A JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE.

Honorable members, we submit on behalf of MKMVA, representing ex-combatants of Umkhonto we Sizwe the former military wing of the ANC. We believe that our presentation is a shared concern and the common vision by other veterans associations including APLAMV A and AZANLAMVA.

Ex-combatants are a particular group in need of targeted and time - bound assistance. Without such support, many ex- combatants particularly the young generation are socially and economically excluded and remain vulnerable as group.

Almost 60% of South African ex-combatants are jobless with no formal source of income and therefore become exposed to drugs, drinking and wrong associations, which ultimately incubate Iawlessness, crime and HIV/AIDS.

We must be clearly understood that we are not complaining nor begging but raising these issues and challenges presenting the practical realities that exist outside this honorable house, which if not attended to remain a time bomb for our society and the government.

You have a Moral, Political and Social obligation, through The Military Veterans Affairs Act to extend pension, grant, allowance subsidy, compensation, accommodation/retirement, insurance, burial assistance & many other interventions as stipulated and required by law.

Many of the ex-combatants die whilst trapped in the quagmire of poverty and destitution. The government support, as an obligation is more than necessary and you honorable members sitting in this committee you hold the power to change the status quo.

In the words of Nelson Mandela "like slavery' and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man .made it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.

And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is the protection of fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.

While poverty persists, there is no true freedom."

We must remind you that the ex-combatants on whose behalf we are speaking, are victims from different conflicts, which had ravaged the country, their painful experience date back from the time when the colonizers illegally set foot on our country and when Umkhonto we Sizwe and other Liberation Armies were formed.

These are people who made sacrifices young and old, who braved the might of the gun and brought apartheid to its demise, when act of Special Pension was passed majority of them had not reached age of 35. Thus they could not qualify for such a benefit and they at time had no skills to compete in the country's economy.

Today these young and old former freedom fighters are discriminated against due to the limitation of age in terms of the said act. (Special Pensions Act No 69 of 1996. Act No. 17 of 1999.). If needs be we might take this matter to the equality court.

MKMVA is trying very hard to promote with everything at its disposal to protect the rights and improve the life of veterans.

Chairperson of The Joint Standing Committee, MKMVA would like to bring to your attention to the fact that these combatants of past conflict, men, women and their children are physically, emotionally and mentally hurt. The support they get from the state is miniature.

For this reason MKMVA wish to submit to the committee, the following requests and amendments to the Military Veterans Affairs Act:

1. Scrape Section 2 of the Military Veterans Affairs Act of 1999.

2. Amend Section 3 (sub) cage 55 and 60 to veterans. (Act N017 of 1999)

3. Amend Section 7 (i e. Increase the number of Board Members to 12)

The preamble of the afore-said act be honored.

The implementation of the definition Section (vii).

We further demand the following:

· The buy - back option of NSF pension benefits by serving members must be abolished and further explanation in terms of calculations be speedily facilitated

· The establishment of the Military Veterans Affairs Ministry.

· The Department Of Defence to be responsible to exhume, rebury and repatriate the human remains of the fallen soldiers in foreign countries.

· The NSF pension not to be mixed with special pension and veterans who wishes to have lump sum be given to them, as the two are far distinct.

· The reviewal of the special pension act for the recognition of the qualifying under 35's in 1996.

· The Special Pension should not be combined or calculated with the member's salary earnings.

· The Department Of Defence facilitate an easy process through Recognition of Prior Learning, the recognition of trainings, skills and qualifications of veterans acquired outside RSA during the years of struggle.

· Military Veterans to have their own insurance service provider(s).

RECQGNISE GETMED AS APPOINTED BY MILITARY VETERANS ASSOCIATIONS TO TALK TO:

1. Improvement of, medical care and other relevant benefits.

2. Let the military veterans' amongst themselves appoint an organization that will rehabilitate army health facilities, which will then be of help to them and the community at large.

Medical Aid

Subsidize Military Veterans or Medical contributions equally

Provincial and National Structure

(1) Allow the SANDF to establish SANMVA to be a structure that will talk to parliament on behalf of the veterans.

Administration

(1) Allow SANMV A to be the administrator of all projects of military veterans with clear terms of reference and strict guidelines.

Training

(1) Let SANMV A be an entity which will look at the training needs of the veterans.

Pensions

We need parity of pensions across the spectrum.

Dormant military bases should be given to SANMVA so that, various departments that are implementing IDPs and LED can implement the full housing development.

The land that belongs to SANDF should not be sold but be donated to SANMV A for the surviving military veterans and their beneficiaries.

The DOD should establish provincial structures of SANMV A and launch its National Structure by November-2007.