What has, hasn’t and is being done for South Africa’s military veterans is of concern to a number of Parliamentarians – across the political spectrum – evidenced again by two more old soldier questions to Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Angie Motshekga.
The questions were posed by National Assembly (NA) public representatives Democratic Alliance (DA) deputy defence and military veterans spokesman, Maliyakhe Shelembe, and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) whip Elsabe Ntlangwini.
Other MPs in search of information and answers from Motshekga on aspects of veteran affairs to date in the first sitting of the seventh administration are, in party alphabetical order, Chris Hattingh (DA); Carl Niehaus and Khonziwe Hlonyana (both EFF); Russel Cebekhulu (Inkatha Freedom Party – IFP); Edward Ntshingila, Des van Rooyen and Mabel Rweqana (uMkhonto we Sizwe Party – MKP) and Cleo Wilskut (Patriotic Alliance – PA).
Shelembe, in response to an employment placement query for veterans, heard from Motshekga two routes are followed – skills training and partnering.
Skills training in 2023/24 saw 1 013 military veterans and dependents gain the knowledge to work in, among others, the agriculture (called “farming” in the ministerial response), construction (“building” in the response), management and security sectors.
In the same period 894 military veterans and dependents were at tertiary education institutions “to gain professional skills in various careers”. Among those who graduated were two medical doctors, three computer science technicians, four commerce graduates and a teacher.
The partnering route saw the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) link with external stakeholders, ranging from government and provincial departments through to State-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the private sector.
One partnership is with Armscor and sees 25 engineering students at the Simon’s Town dockyard for a three-year period getting to grips with the ins and outs of electrical and mechanical engineering [presumably at technikon level].
Various media, according to Motshekga’s written reply to Ntlangwini, is used to inform military veterans and South Africans of what is available to old soldiers to improve themselves and delivery of what are termed “key messages”.
Some media campaigns concentrated on creating awareness of, among others, pensions, healthcare and education support with others aimed at the importance of registration on the military veteran database and how to register.
Another reply by Motshekga revealed that 22% of all veterans registered on the military veterans database have passed away, with 19 349 verified deceased veterans. Veterans receive a standard R40 000 for burial support.
