Deputy President David Mabuza convenes Presidential Task Team on Military Veterans

Deputy President David Mabuza in his capacity as the chairperson of the Presidential Task Team on Military Veterans’ benefits convened the Task Team of Ministers comprising of Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Acting Minister in the Presidency, Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Deputy Minister of Military Veterans, Mr Thabang Makwetla.
 
The Task Team received reports from the work streams established to aid in the streamlining of the work aimed at providing essential support to military veterans.  The work streams are constituted to focus on the specific grievances raised by military veterans during the consultations held with the Task Team from November 2020.
 
The works teams are as follows:
 
- Legislative review
 
- Organisational redesign of the Department of Military Veterans
 
- Verification, Database Cleansing and Enhancement 
 
- Socio-Economic Support
 
- Pensions and benefits
 
- Heritage, memoralisation and burial support
 
- Communication 
 
 
The meeting further agreed on the proposed engagements with Premiers from different Provinces by the Task Team, in order to engage with Premiers and military veterans on the role of the Offices of the Premier and on measures to implement the outcomes of the work of the Task Team.
 
“We would like to assure the public and all military veterans that the Task Team on Military Veterans is seized with the matters that have been presented to the Task Team by their different formations in terms of their well-being as well as that of their families. Our military veterans have fought for the freedom of the country and the defence of its territorial integrity. Therefore, we should as a country afford them dignity that is equal to their service. To us, this matter is at the heart of sustained social cohesion,” said Deputy President Mabuza.
 
The Task Team will further be submitting memoranda through the Department of Military Veterans on proposed amendment of legislation that unintentionally disadvantages some military veterans, thereby impactingon their socio-economic conditions.
The Department of Military Veterans derives its legislative mandate from the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011, which requires it to provide national policy and standards on socio-economic support to military veterans and their dependants, including benefits to help realise a dignified, unified, empowered and self-sufficient community of military veterans in South Africa.
 
The overall work of the task team on military veterans is in line with Deputy President’s delegated responsibility of strengthening and promoting social cohesion initiatives to foster nation building.
 
 
Media enquiries: Matshepo Seedat on 082 679 9473
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria