Part-time soldiers should be recognised as Miltiary Veterans.

Conscripted or part-time soldiers (Citizen / Reserves Force) will not be considered as Military Veterans in South African in future! Irrespective if they have been involved in conflict losing comrades or being wounded. Should they should look after themselves and not the government?

The Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Mr Makwetla, told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans on 25th May that conscripts (Citizen force, Part-time, Reserve Force) members were not considered to be part of the Defence Force and did not have the same responsibilities of their permanent force counterparts.

He went on to state that only those involved in the Liberation Struggle would be considered. This would imply that all of those that have served the World during World War I & II, also Korea would be excluded. Currently they are recognised as Veterans, but the Deputy Minister now wants to do away with this status.

After many years of bringing all Military Veterans together and agreeing on a definition, which has been tabled in a Bill for public participation in Parliament, now just before it is to be tabled in Parliament, the Deputy Minister wishes to fundamentally change the entire Bill by changing the definition.

We are calling on the Government to either:
Stay with the definition as already discussed in the Bill OR
To reopen discussion on this matter before this Bill is taken to Parliament