Deputy President David Mabuza says he wants to see relations between military veterans and provincial governments as well as municipalities improve so that they can be part of any growth opportunities in these local authorities.
Mabuza said this when he met Free State military veterans at the Bloemspruit Airfoce Base in Mangaung on Thursday.
“We are going to improve our institutional arrangement so that the department of military veterans works directly with the province and works together with municipalities,” said Mabuza who is the chairperson of the Presidential Task Team on Military Veterans.
The deputy president said military veterans played an important role in the country’s liberation struggle and it was therefore important to involve them in developments at different levels of government.
“As we plan, municipalities will know what we have planned for the veterans. The province will know and also plan for the veterans,” said Mabuza.
“This is going to happen. The mere fact of us coming here is to cement that relationship,” he added.
The meeting was attended by veterans from different military wings of the liberation struggle such as the Azanian People’s Liberation Army, uMkhonto we Sizwe and other formations.
Mabuza said there was a need to ensure that the military veterans database is updated to avoid unscrupulous elements claiming benefits which are meant to assist military veterans and their families.
Premier Sisi Ntombela echoed the deputy president’s sentiments and added that the government must move with the necessary speed to address issues affecting the veterans and their families.
She said the government has acknowledged that more still needs to be done to improve the lives of military veterans.
Ntombela announced during the meeting that a military veterans officer will be appointed to her office soon.
“We are enjoying democracy today because of the bravery and selflessness of our heroic freedom fighters. We must therefore quickly attend to these matters and ensure that we help our military veterans,” said Ntombela.
The meeting was aimed at providing a platform for the Presidential Task Team on Military Veterans to provide updates and assessment on progress achieved by the government in addressing the challenges facing military veterans.
Mabuza’s task team includes Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Mondli Gungubele, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise and her deputy Thabang Makwetla. – Staff Reporter