Durban - Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma (NDZ) yesterday said it was a travesty that after 28 years of democracy, the plight of war veterans was not being addressed.
Dlamini Zuma was speaking at an MK Liberation War Veterans empowerment summit at the Durban ICC.
“I take this opportunity to salute the contributions of the hundreds of thousands of MK soldiers and the millions that sacrificed, so that we may enjoy the fruits of our democracy.
“It is therefore a travesty that 28 years after the attainment of our democracy, that we should have to convene to ask the question ‘what about the welfare, economic participation and activism of our war veterans?’,” Dlamini Zuma said.
She said practical and implementable solutions needed to be found to guarantee the livelihoods and empowerment of the veterans of the liberation struggle.
“Although I shall highlight some programmes that veterans can participate in, there has been little co-ordinated and impactful effort in the scale of model case studies such as those in places like Zimbabwe and on either side of the Vietnam War.
“These model case studies point for the need of a government and society-
wide intergenerational programme which works with war veterans, their families, and communities with regards to the inseparable rights to health, well-being, and development. In those international case studies, there is an integrated plan directed at veterans.”
Dlamini Zuma said these plans seamlessly reinforced benefits such as compensation, social security, health, housing and burial benefits, with development opportunities such as education, employment, and income generation.
“In countries such as Ethiopia, the veterans and generals were assisted to set up economic participation entities, which were guaranteed work from the state and associated businesses.
“Above all, the model plans were co-ordinated and responsive to the national material conditions, aspirations, and plans.”
She said the South African Military Veterans Act of 2011 sets among its objectives the improvement of “the quality of life of Military Veterans and their dependants so they may realise their socio-economic progress”.
“Unfortunately, our programmes and projects fall short of that,” she said.
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said the acknowledgement by Dlamini Zuma was welcomed but long overdue.
He said he had conducted a study on the Umkhonto We Sizwe veterans living in rural areas and had sent his recommendations to the government but no action was taken.
“I am glad Dlamini Zuma has acknowledged their plight and the government now realises it has to attend to the matter.”
He said many war veterans had never attended school as they pursued the armed struggle against the apartheid government.
“Others left school and their families struggled while they fought for liberation.”
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the provincial government was committed to ensuring that war veterans were given the necessary care and support they needed.
“We are addressing fragmentation in implementing programmes and lack of accountability on interventions to support liberation war veterans.
“All provincial departments have now appointed dedicated personnel to focus on the support by each department to liberation veterans.
“Departments have been tasked with facilitating the establishment of areas across government and industry, which can be leveraged to assist liberation veterans to access opportunities, markets and services.
“Through our various economic empowerment programmes, we are setting aside and encouraging liberation war veterans and other war veterans to take part in these and similar programmes of government.”