WATCH: Pained military vets ‘tired’ of government’s ’empty promises’

Promised government pensions and other benefits for anti-apartheid military veterans have been long overdue, but instead of compensation and care, former combatants say they have received nothing but pain, poverty, and death.

This is according to former combatant Manku Noruka, who tearfully detailed her struggle to The Citizen this past week.

She and her fellow comrades from Azapo’s Azanian National Liberation Army (Azanla) military veterans’ association still await benefits that were promised 30 years ago.

“There’s this permanent pain inside that won’t go away. Many are dying, and not because of anything but that pain.

“We are depressed, sick and dying. We bury an Azanla freedom fighter almost every month, it’s very painful.

“Other countries treat their war veterans with respect, but not here,” she said.

Watch Noruka discuss their plight:

Veterans’ health, housing, and education benefits, especially for her children, are still out of reach for her.

There is ‘no will to help’

Noruka said she joined a group of former women soldiers for a sit-in at the department’s offices four years ago, to plead for benefits and psychiatric counselling.

“No one listened. I don’t think they care. We never received counselling when we came back. We were never offered skills training to shift our minds from the guns and combat state, which is all that we know really.

“And then you hear the department playing with our feelings, saying those who are working cannot receive the pension.

“A military pension is not a pension like any other. You can’t pick who gets it and who doesn’t. Why are we still debating veterans’ right beneficiation 30 years later?” asked the Soweto resident.

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Noruka said she was fortunate to be able to finish high school after she returned as a 20-year-old, trained Azanla soldier.

She and her fellow combatants returned in 1990, after party leaders instructed them to come home and join local operatives who launched attacks against the apartheid regime.

All military wings were disbanded in 1993, a year before the country’s first democratic elections.

Many were incorporated into the SA National Defence Force (SANDF).

Delay after delay

Hopes were dashed last year when the Department of Military Veterans, which falls under the defence ministry, announced the postponement of the R4 962 monthly pension implemented last year.

The new pension was announced by former deputy president David Mabuza, with payouts scheduled to be made from 1 December 2022.

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According to Deputy Minister of Defence Thabang Makwetla, “unavoidable” administrative challenges, however, caused payment delays.

One cause of the delay was the Draft Pension Regulations and the Pension Benefit Access form which were only tabled in Parliament in early December 2022.

The new regulations were required to operationalise the pension payments to veterans, Makwetla said.

But Azanla argues that Makwetla is attempting to modify the Military Veterans Act to not compensate those who are gainfully employed, according to chairperson Mlungisi Biya.

“Makwetla cannot be allowed to modify the Act to his liking. All military veterans should get the pension as they qualify, not just because they are poor and destitute.

“All we are asking is that the department should move with speed to deliver the promised pension to all military veterans without delay,” he said.

Last year, the department embarked on the verification and registration of former soldiers, after it was discovered that some were illegally being paid.

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Contacted for comment on Monday, the department said a media briefing will be held on Wednesday to outline plans around pensions.

“Payouts are imminent, the deputy minister will announce all the details,” Makwetla’s office said.

Department in shambles

Last year, the department’s shambolic operations were laid bare before MPs in Parliament as officials failed to produce an internal audit report into the finances and workings of the military veterans’ section.

Members of the defence portfolio committee learnt how the unit was marred by incompetence from its highly paid officials, lack of delivery of benefits for struggling veterans, and a long-standing credentials verification process that was taking too long to finish.

Some MPs remarked that they were approached by veterans and families who needed urgent help with school fees and healthcare after being turned away by department staffers.

Last month, the department confirmed the suspension of its director-general Irene Mpolweni, but did not give reasons why, citing employer-employee confidentiality.

However, it later emerged that her suspension was triggered by the unauthorised procurement of machines for military veterans to patch potholes.

Media reports showed that at least R12.5 million was allegedly paid over to the vendor and R13 million for training the veterans.

According to Makwetla, the equipment never reached the department.

The military veterans’ department is responsible for looking after the interests of thousands of former freedom fighters from all political parties armed structures and other units.

These are liberation movements’ former military wings, including members uMkhoto We Sizwe (MK) of the African National Congress (ANC), the PAC’s Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla) and Azapo’s Azanla.

Makwetla is in charge of military veterans matters.

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