A last minute rush saw a Government Gazette published yesterday (Friday 6 October) with details of revised pension regulations for military veterans.
The Department of Military Veterans (DMV) “committed” earlier in the week at a Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) to publish the revised regulations and met this by way of Government Gazette 49442. The 16 page regulations “regarding the military veterans pension benefit, 2023” are signed off by Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Thandi Modise.
The confirmation of the revised veterans’ pension includes former SA Defence Force (SADF), former TBVC (Transkei, Bophuthatswana Venda and Ciskei) defence forces as well as former MK (uMkhonto we Sizwe), Apla (Azanian People’s Liberation Army) and other recognised “liberation struggle” forces.
When changes to the regulations were proposed in December 2022 no provision was made for former TBVC soldiers and military personnel to be included. The new regulations are “what we’ve been fighting for” was the reaction of Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow minister for Modise’s portfolio, Kobus Marais.
“I and my colleague Maliyakhe Shelembe are obviously delighted at this outcome as we’ve opposed the irregular and obviously unconstitutional regulations published in December last year.
“Sufficient funds to pay the pensions were provided as from 1 April this year for about five thousand verified and properly registered military veterans. On 20 September Minister Modise committed to backdating payments to 1 April,” Marais said adding “she [Modise] and government now have to ensure sufficient funds are available in the years to come as more veterans will apply”.
