Military veterans to start getting pensions by the end of the year, says department

Deputy president David Mabuza has announced the military veterans pension fund has been approved and payments will be made as soon as December.

Director-general of defence and military veterans Irene Mpolweni said R37m would be made available in the 2022/23 financial year.  A further R102m would be made available in the 2023/24 financial year and R109m in 2024/25. 

Mabuza and representatives from the department met with a large group of veterans in the Western Cape, many of whom said they were frustrated by delays in accessing pensions.

Former members of Mkhonto weSizwe took defence minister Thandi Modise hostage in October last year due to lack of support from the government. The presidency appointed a task team to look into the issue of pensions which the veterans had been promised years before. 

Mabuza said the team had done extensive work and payments should be made as early as December. 

Those in attendance expressed frustration over the delays. 

Some complained about the poor state of government housing they had been given. 

Mpolweni said the department would resolve their housing problems. 

TimesLIVE