Six hundred (600) delegates who gathered on the second day of the conference to establish a new umbrella body that will represent military veterans nationally, will today, 30 September 2013 at 15h00 elect a new leadership for the umbrella association.
The delegates will also discuss among others the constitution for the umbrella association.
“The conference is going very well so far and we are excited as the Department of Military Veterans that a new chapter has been opened in the history of military veterans in the country which will go a long way in helping advance the course of military veterans as well as accelerate service delivery of social benefits stipulated in the Act 18 of 2011” said the Director-General (DG) of the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) Mr Tsepe Motumi.
Meanwhile in her keynote address delivered yesterday, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said “The formation of this umbrella body should facilitate more coordinated, efficient and inclusive interventions by government so that government can discharge its duties more effectively and efficiently on behalf of society and its responsibilities towards military veterans. This new umbrella association should work in a fair, transparent and accountable manner to all military veterans and government such that it can help deepen reconciliation, social cohesion and nation building.”
The 20 years of freedom that we are celebrating as a nation that it would not have come about had it not been for the bravery, courage and sacrifices made in the struggle by amongst others men and women gathered at this conference.
“I hope the establishment of the umbrella association will go a long way in helping to rapidly increase the pace of delivery of these benefits to all deserving military veterans. Furthermore, ensuring access to benefits as well as service delivery to military veterans will require the building of partnerships and working together between the government, business, labour, civil society and perhaps most importantly the military veterans as represented by their association as well as the new umbrella association that will be established through this conference” said the Minister.
On his part the President of the South African National Military Veterans Association (mbulelo.musi@dmv.gov.za) Mr Kebby Maphatsoe called for unity of military veterans and urged for the programmes that will honour, memorialise and empower military veterans to be accelerated through close working relationships between the new umbrella association and the DMV.
The conference is expected to end tomorrow with the adoption of a resolution, outlining a programme of action for military veterans as well as a declaration.
Enquiries:
Mbulelo Musi
Cell: 071 481 0400
E-mail: mbulelo.musi@dmv.gov.za
