None of the ten recommendations made by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) in its Department of Military Veterans (DMV) Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report (BRRR) paint a picture of competence.
The multi-party PCDMV recommendations show – with a handful of exceptions – a department not meeting its government-set obligations to South Africa’s old soldiers. These run from a lack of permanent leadership to not meeting own set targets with, for example, 115 veterans’ houses delivered in 2024/25 versus an annual target of 225, just one military veterans memorial site facilitated and subsidised public transport not making it to the performance lists.
On subsidised transport the reply to a Parliamentary question asked by Maliyakhe Shelembe, one of a three-strong Democratic Alliance (DA) defence and military veterans oversight team, provides some insight into a benefit not in place after being planned for 13 years.
He was informed, in writing, by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga, subsidised transport is the only benefit not implemented by the DMV due to “broader public transport challenges”. Shelembe was further made aware the DMV previously “attempted to explore pilot projects to test the desired delivery model. However, the efforts were not completed due to the collapse of the public transport infrastructure during the COVID period”. Alternative options, “relying on feasibility study/research”, are seemingly now the way forward for this specific benefit.
The latest BRR report noted that the DMV provided 2 711 bursaries (1 821 for Basic Education and 890 for Tertiary Education) to military veterans and their dependents in 2024/25 – far off the annual target of providing 4 200 bursaries, which the report attributes to financial constraints. Skills and development programmes approvals fared better with a total of 971 military veterans and dependents approved against a target of 1 000.
During 2024/25 a total number of 252 veterans were authorised to access healthcare services through the SA Military Health Service. This was down 31% compared to the previous year. The Department also provided a total of 607 veterans and their dependents with counselling services and treatment.
The BRRR report went on to state that during 2024/25, the DMV improved in comparison to 2023/24 and 2022/23 when no employment opportunities were created. The total number of facilitations of employment placement opportunities is “about 9” for the year.
Only 153 veterans were approved for the compensation benefit in 2024/25, a significant drop (64%) from the 424 total in the preceding year.
Burial support was not included among the annual performance targets for 2024/25, but a total of 408 bereaved families were supported with burial assistance, while 206 tombstone claims were approved and paid. However, the payments of Burial Support were above the threshold of the regulated amount of R5.2 million resulting in irregular expenditure.
Some progress was reported on pension payouts in 2024/25, with 4 378 military veterans and their dependents receiving pension benefits. The backlog that developed after the finalisation of the Pension Benefits Regulations in October 2023 was cleared.
Irregular expenditure, according to the DMV, was R10.4 million in the financial year under review and related mainly to burial support. Also included as irregular expenditure was R820 000 for a telephone system expenses used without a valid contract; travel expenses paid without a valid contract (R446 000) and R72 000 worth of overpayment for bond assistance. Added to the opening balance was R8.7 million related to skills training done through SITA and NEMISA, bringing the closing balance for 2024/25 to R256.7 million. Fruitless and wasteful expenditure was recorded as R6.8 million for 2024/25 (closing balance).
The Auditor-General report on the DMV to Parliament supports the overall impression of non-achievement. It is quoted in the BRRR as saying “effective and appropriate steps were not taken to prevent irregular expenditure”. Another AG quote has it there was not “sufficient appropriate audit evidence that disciplinary steps were taken against officials who had incurred irregular expenditure”. This was put down to investigations into irregular expenditure not performed.
The ten PCDMV recommendations outlined in the BRRR document start with the need to finalise the appointment of a permanent Director-General noting “this matter has repeatedly been brought to the attention of the Executive Authority [Minister Angie Motshekga] without being resolved”. Nontobeko Mafu has been acting in the post since December 2023, following the resignation of Irene Mpolweni.
Another goes about irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure with a 30 January 2026 deadline set for submission of a detailed action plan. The PCDMV has it the plan must include recovery measures for funds lost and consequence management implemented. Looking ahead the committee wants updates on irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in all quarterly expenditure and performance reports the DMV submits to the oversight committee.
The DMV database, long a concern as veterans cannot access benefits if they are not properly documented and listed on it, was the subject of another recommendation. As regards the database, the PCDMV wants – in writing – timelines for development of an incorruptible, integrated, digital database system for military veterans. The plan, according to the BRRR, should also include the role of the database verification panel and should reach the committee by 30 January next year.
In addition to the 2024 BRRR recommendations, the PCDMV also conducted an oversight visit to the DMV Headquarters in March 2025. During this visit, the Committee expressed “grave concern over the ongoing instability in the top management of the DMV, with key positions still filled in an acting capacity and permanent appointments delayed.” They noted the poor condition of the DMV offices, describing them as a potential fire hazard and non-compliant with occupational health and safety requirements. The Committee further highlighted the absence of a proper filing system and the manual processing of applications, which not only contravenes the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act but also exposes the Department to data loss and irregularities.
The call centre was found to be severely under-resourced, operating on a mobile phone system that can only manage a few calls at a time and requiring staff to leave their posts to retrieve information from benefit offices. “This results in significant inefficiencies despite the high call volume handled daily. The Committee also noted weaknesses in the integrity of the DMV’s database and reiterated the urgent need for a digitised, integrated information management system.”
Concerns were also raised regarding the education benefit programme, particularly the suspension of new applications for two consecutive financial years, the exclusion of private schools from future support, and the lack of a means test for beneficiaries.
Overall, the Committee concluded that the DMV’s administrative, technological, and operational systems require urgent reform to ensure effective service delivery to military veterans and their dependants.
