Hard life for army veterans
Former veteran: We fought for this country and this is what we get in return.
“We fought for this country and this is what we get in return,” a Randfontein army veteran said in frustration at unpaid medical bills.
Hendrik van Staden, a former sergeant in the army, says he has had enough of being sent from pillar to post to get his medical bills paid by the army he gave so many years to in his youth.
“The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) is supposed to pay medical costs for former soldiers, especially those who were injured in the line of duty,” he said.
Van Staden said he recently went to hospital where a sample of his blood was drawn. The GEPF has refused to cover the cost because they said the procedure was not necessary. However, Van Staden has a letter from the doctor saying it was standard procedure.
I served my time in the army. I was injured on duty and was wheelchair-bound for two years afterwards and now I’ve been handed over to the credit bureau because of medical bills.
“They wanted to repossess my furniture a while back because of the bills,” Van Staden said.
He is now a pensioner with a wife, children, and grandchildren, and said he just makes ends meet before having to pay medical bills.
Van Staden is now calling on all army veterans, both those who are currently struggling with army funds and those who aren’t, to protest against the current treatment of army veterans. Van Staden is planning a protest march in Pretoria, where the GEPF head office is situated.
If you are an army veteran and are interested in Van Staden’s cause, he can be contacted on 078 649 0009.
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