Those at the helm of South African military veterans’ affairs have turned to technology to spread the message of the importance of old soldiers and their contributions to what the country is today.
National government’s newsroom in the form of www.gov.za has it the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) partnered with Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) to host “an inter-generational youth panel webinar on the June 16 detachment”.
The aim of the event, according to DMV communications director Phumeza Dzuguda, was to honour and recognise members of former liberation movements such as Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), Azanian People’s Liberation Army Military (APLA) and Azanian Liberation Army (AZANLA) who fought for freedom, injustice and democracy at the culmination of 2021’s Youth Month (June).
“The DMV is mandated to honour all these constitutional military veterans believing and cognisant they are the greatest heritage of any nation,” the government news website reports.
“It is essential for the DMV to ensure there is efficient delivery and co-ordination of all activities recognising and entrenching restoration of dignity and appreciation of the contribution of military veterans to freedom and nation building.
“This is a first of many story telling dialogues about the struggle history of the nation that will shape the country’s future. Through these dialogues government aims to encourage young people to analyse matters of policy, guaranteeing participation in decision processes to create platforms for positive youth participation in government decisions.”
Dzuguda is quoted as saying: “Documentation of military veterans’ stories will further consolidate steps towards reconciliation, nation building and deepening our democracy. The dialogue represented recognition of heroes and heroines who should be enshrined in the country’s history for sacrifices that brought freedom”.
