R1.6bn for veterans not enough

[Paul (Pepe) Freemantle]

Cabinet has approved the spending of R1.6-billion on benefits for military veterans, but more money may be needed, says Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

"This is what we asked parliament to approve as they approve the bill," Sisulu told a media briefing ahead of her budget vote speech. "It is for the next three years."

She said the costing was based on the existing register of former fighters.

"We are still dealing with that, but we have a base document, which is a CRP [certified personnel register] list."

"Of course, if we... discover that we are dealing with more people than we budgeted for, then of course we will go back to Treasury and request more, but right now what we are dealing with are those people who are on the CPR list."

The list contains 54 000 names and served as the basis for an Alexander Forbes costing study which produced estimates many times over the figure approved by cabinet.

According to the study, anywhere between R20-billion and R56-billionn was needed to provide pensions, housing, healthcare and education benefits to former fighters over five years.

The Military Veterans Bill, which cabinet approved in November 2010, widened the definition of a military veteran to anybody who fought on either side of the anti-apartheid struggle.

This could mean that 800 000 ex-soldiers qualify for benefits, though Sisulu pointed out that a means test would scale back the number of those who qualified.

The department estimated that 5.4% of veterans qualified for new pension benefits, 26% for transport support, 35.7% for an upgraded once-off housing grant of R120 000 and 8.9% for an education grant of R10 000 a year.

However, director-general for military veterans Tshepe Motumi has qualified all estimates as a "moving target" because of the expected increase in those coming forward to present themselves as veterans

Sisulu said the R1.6-billion would not be allocated directly to the defence department but spread out across all of those involved in providing benefits to veterans.

The lack of a costing plan angered opposition MPs when the bill was introduced in parliament, and Motumi was told to "go back and do your homework".

ANC MPs have argued that it was wrong to put a price tag on the "moral issue" of providing benefits to former fighters.

The issue is politically sensitive as Umkhonto weSizwe veterans helped to secure President Jacob Zuma's election as leader of the ruling party in 2007.

Deputy Defence Minister Thabang Makwetla, who is responsible for the fledgling department of military veterans, said the public had grasped the real issues underpinning the bill despite a "wave of negativity" from the media and opposition.

He told the defence budget vote that it was expected that the bill would see spending of roughly R500-million a year on benefits to veterans over the medium term budget framework period.

He said compiling an exhaustive register of veterans was being hampered by a lack of information from veterans associations, who did not have adequate administrative capacity.

[Michael Alexander]

The Namibian Gov has done the same thing, although I think on this side of the river I think it is just for the guys that fought on the one side....

[Paul (Pepe) Freemantle]

Hi Mike, I think you are right there. It is for the so called Freedom Fighters. It is actually disgusting that they want to give them hand outs of our taxes. I think it would be a lot fairer to give us guys that also fought the same. In part of the article I see she mentions the following: The Military Veterans Bill, which cabinet approved in November 2010, widened the definition of a military veteran to anybody who fought on either side of the anti-apartheid struggle. This could mean that 800 000 ex-soldiers qualify for benefits, though Sisulu pointed out that a means test would scale back the number of those who qualified.

We were soldiers fighting and hopefully we will qualify for the same. Lets see how the whole debate pans out.

[Uwe Leube]

Back in around 1997 the "war veterans" in Zim forced Mugabe to give them pension payouts. The rest is history as this was the start of the slide to oblivion for a great country. Good luck South Africa!