The ministerial task team on military veterans has convened a consultative seminar with various stakeholders to solicit public inputs into the draft policy report on the future of the state’s role and obligations towards military veterans.
The ministry has already announced plans of creating a separate budget vote and appointing an accounting officer to be responsible for veteran’s affairs.
The task team, under the chairpersonship of the Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla has been working since July on drafting policy guidelines and proposed statutory amendments with regard to the governance of military veteran’s affairs.
Among others, the team was comprised of Misters Tony Yengeni, Kebby Mphatsoe, Colonel Gilles and General Kenny Fihla.
The task team was established in July and its terms of reference included developing recommendations on how the newly configured Department of Defence and Military Veterans will be designed and constituted following the presidential promulgation of the department of defence to include the veteran’s affairs. It is expected to round up its work and present the final report to the Minister the next week.
Military veterans are members of the South African community who were involved in the historical conflicts of the past, that in include survivors of the World Wars I and II and two Korean wars and the recent anti-colonial and apartheid conflicts.
The public seminar, which forms part of public engagements, will be held on Friday, 6 November 2009 at the St George’s Hotel in Pretoria. The following stakeholders will be giving inputs on the draft report viz. Institute for Security Studies, Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, sector education and training authorities in the security and services industries, relevant university departments, veterans associations, public sector departments that are currently providing services to veterans (e.g. Human settlement) and other interested participants.
The consultative seminar aims to enrich the draft policy document with opinions from experts, policy institutes and government department involved in delivering services or benefits to veterans.
You are cordially invited to send a journalist or cameraman/photographer to cover the seminar as indicated below.
Venue: St George Hotel, along the R21 road in Irene, Pretoria
Time: 09h00
Date: 6 November 2009
Enquiries:
Ntime Skhosana
Tel: 012 355 6106
Cell: 082 496 6875
Issued by: Department of Defence and Military Veterans
4 November 2009
