The Gauteng province is the centre point of a 10-day skills development programme for military veterans under the auspices of the Department of Military Veterans (DMV).
Acknowledging it has lagged in the provision of services to old soldiers, the DMV – currently managed by former SA Navy (SAN) chief, Mosiwa Hlongwane – has it the programme’s objective is to address the backlog from four years ago of skills development application approvals for military veterans and their dependents.
Stop number one was yesterday and today (5 and 6 February) at what is called the Vereeniging Banquet Hall. This will be followed by a similarly named location in Germiston tomorrow and Wednesday (7 and 8 February). Next up is the IEC Hall in the Randwest Municipality (the former Randfontein) on 9 and 12 February with Soweto’s Naledi Community Hall and Fleurhof Lifestyle Estate Extension 37 next on 13 and 14 February. The lone stop for the programme in the Tshwane Metro is the Old Council Chamber in the Pretoria CBD on 15 and 16 February.
Part of the DMV mandate is facilitating access to training and development interventions for military veterans and their dependents. This is done via through SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authorities), private sector service providers as well as government departments, job opportunities in both government and the private sector. Partnership agreements and recognition of prior learning to transfer skills attained and held are taken into account when finalising access to either training or work.
Gauteng is the seventh province where old soldiers will be assisted with the skills development programme. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, DMV officials were in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces helping veterans to help themselves. COIVD-19 apart, the DMV notes “capacity challenges” impacted on the programme roll-out nationally.
When the Gauteng leg is completed, DMV officials will move on to the KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces completing country-wide coverage.
Further information can be had from the DMV call centre (063 222 2227/ 063 5463412 / 063 336 2631.
