UPDATE: Case against 53 ‘veterans’ in Tshwane hotel ministers’ hostage drama continues
In October 2021, a police special task force team had to rescue defence minister Thandi Modise, her deputy Thabang Makwetla, and Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele after they were allegedly held hostage by the group at St George’s Hotel in Centurion.
The case against a group of so-called military veterans for allegedly holding senior government officials hostage at a Tshwane hotel continued at the Pretoria magistrate’s court this week.
In October 2021, a police special task force team had to rescue Defence Minister, Thandi Modise, her deputy, Thabang Makwetla, and Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele after they were allegedly held hostage by the group at St George’s hotel in Centurion.
Trouble in the hotel ensued after a meeting to address military veterans’ grievances reached a deadlock as the group refused to proceed without president Cyril Ramaphosa or deputy president David Mabuza, and 53 people were arrested and charged with conspiracy to kidnap and 26 counts of kidnapping of government officials.
The 53 appeared in the Pretoria magistrates’ court on Tuesday, after they were all granted bail of R500 each in October 2021.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana said the case was postponed to May 17, to allow the defence to make representations to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Mahanjana said the details of the requested representations to the DPP were not disclosed.
The challenges of the group has been a long-existing issue. In November 2020, Ramaphosa established a presidential task team led by Mabuza to address the issue.
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Among the issues raised by the group was the lack of housing and pension benefits.
According to a 2011 military veterans act, any South African citizen who served under a SA liberation struggle between 1960-1994 may receive a military pension, housing, free access to military health services, skill acquisition and education support.
At the heart of the debacle was that the group was not recognised as military veterans by the department of defence. Modise said before individuals could benefit from the military, they had to be verified whether they were members of liberation struggle forces.
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