The first batch of approved applicants for the military veteran pension benefit received their payments this month.
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Thandi Modise, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, promulgated the Military Veterans Regulations on 6 October via the Government Gazette, after which the Government Pension Administration Agency (GPAA) initiated the admission and processing of prospective pension beneficiaries.
Approximately 18 119 applications have been received for the pension benefit.
‘(The first pension payout) marks the beginning of yet another important milestone in our ongoing efforts to address the plight of military veterans in accordance with the provision of the Military Veterans Act No 18 of 2011,’ Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thabang Makwetla.
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According to DefenceWeb, the announcement comes nearly two years after President Cyril Ramaphosa established a military veterans’ presidential task team (PTT), which is in charge of the process.
The PTT was established following a meeting to discuss grievances between the Liberation Struggle War Veterans (LSWV) group, Modise, Makwetla and then Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele. Reuters reports that the group allegedly held the trio hostage when neither President Cyril Ramaphosa nor his then-deputy, David Mabuza, showed up.
LSWV reportedly demanded a R4.4 million reparation settlement each, as well as medical aid, a housing allowance, government jobs and tertiary education for their children.
It is also not clear how many correctly registered soldiers from the former liberation forces and TBVC (Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei), as well as the then SA Defence Force (SADF) received the first payment.
The special pensions director of the Government Pension Administration Agency (GPAA), Kabelo Jonathan, says military veterans should note that payments will be made from the date of approval of the applications.
Military Veterans are urged to apply for this pension benefit and submit their applications to the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) at [email protected] or [email protected]. Alternatively, contact 0800 11 7669.
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Picture: SA National Defence Force / Facebook