Speech by Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans ...

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that may have been caused by the glitches in our preliminary plans, and in thesame breath, to commend those who participated, for their patience.Honourable Members, the process of cleaning the data-base of our militaryveterans is crucial to the overall success of this government policy on militaryveterans. Should we fail to be diligent in doing it, we run the risk of either leavingout intended bona-fide recipients or allowing fraudulent abuse of this policyintervention by unscrupulous selfish individuals.It is for this reason that the Department has adopted a rigid attitude that onlythose military veterans who have came forward to verify the information on ourdata-base will be considered as we roll-out these benefits, to protect thecredibility of this department in particular, and of government in general.Chairperson, one of the impediments to the efforts mentioned above is thecontinued absence of the communications function in the already establishedbranches and units of the Department. This strategic gap in our organization isthe cause of the Department’s woes, be it in relationship to marshalling initiativeslike the consolidation of the database, or the empowering of the community of themilitary veterans with information on developments they must know about. Wehave revised the original level of the leadership post of this directorate and planto move with speed to fill it. In the interim, we have agreed to source externalprofessional services to address this crippling weakness.On this occasion last year we reported that we were in the process of assistingthe South African National Military Veterans Association (SANMVA) to launch itsprovincial structures, and that five provinces were established already. We havesubsequently concluded this process. SANMVA is a key institution inempowering military veterans with information about government activities aimedat helping them. Conceptually, it is important to point out that SANMVA in its rolehas beautiful contrasting colours like a zebra. It is both an organ of civil-society4
and a statutory body at the same time or it is neither an organ of civil society noris it an agent of the state. Which suggests that tension between the two roleswhere it manifests itself, should not be treated as a crisis but a necessarycontradiction to be constructively managed in the good of government on theone-side, and military veterans on the other. The department will, in keeping withthe legislation, ensure that we provide the necessary assistance for SANMVA tosucceed in both these roles.Two other critical institutions in the furtherance of the government policy onmilitary veterans will be established in the cause of this financial year, namely theMilitary Veterans Appeal Board and the Military Veterans Advisory Council.Chairperson, Honourable Members in their composition the military veteranscommunity and our South African National Defence Force (SANDF) consist of asignificant segment of people who are repositors of the legendary valour ofcourageous South Africans who despite being prohibited from acquiring militaryskills for all their lives, organized to challenge the might of the apartheid statemilitarily.Some of these examplary patriots like Honourable Members, Andrew Mlangeniand Nelson Diale, who are also members of the Defence Portfolio Committeecontinue to occupy seats in this parliament as democratically elected popularrepresentatives. December 16, last year marked half a century since the nativepopulace of this country rose with arms in hand to assert their right to rebelagainst their oppressor with the formation of Umkhonto We Sizwe, the formermilitary wing of the ANC. Shortly before, members of Poqo in the Eastern Cape,were arrested for the killings along the Bashee river. To mark the 50 thAnniversary of Umkhonto We Sizwe, the SANDF will organize the MedalParades where former members of this non-statutory force will receive medals torecognize their selfless service in the struggle for liberation and democracy inSouth Africa.5
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Speech by Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans ...

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