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The Democratic Alliance (DA) will insist that inefficiencies within the Military Veterans Department is urgently addressed, to ease the plight of the approximately 5000 military veterans in the Northern Cape, whose access to benefits and medical authorization is being severely hampered.

Engagements with military veterans in the Barkly-West area, and subsequent meetings undertaken with the provincial office this week, have exposed immense suffering of military veterans. This is the result of the under-capacitated provincial office, and a clear lack of coordination and efficient systems between the province and the national department.

One military veteran, whose knee was broken while serving in the defense force, needs urgent medical care but has had to go without treatment for a prolonged period of time due to due to administrative delays.

Another military veteran, diagnosed with prostate cancer, is on the backed-up surgery waiting list for a second procedure at the government hospital. If his medical benefits are authorized, he can secure medical treatment at a private hospital much sooner, increasing his chances of survival.

The Department of Military Veterans is effectively gambling with peoples’ health and their lives.

I will raise my concerns with the Minister Angie Motshekga, through our Select Committee on Security and Justice in the NCOP. She must urgently respond and intervene on the following matters:

• Lack of capacity in the provincial office, making it impossible to service military veterans across the province;
• Poor support from the National Office to assist in resolving issues and benefits due to military veterans; and
• Lack of coordination with relevant stakeholder departments and the provincial government to streamline benefits and services to military veterans.

Military veterans have risked their lives to achieve a democratic South African, and to fight to protect and secure peace for our country. We will hold the Minister accountable for failing to ensure that they are treated with the dignity and respect owed to them.

Issued by Ofentse Mokae, MP - DA Member of the Select Committee on Security and Justice