Prepared speech by DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, David Maynier MP, on the Military Veterans Bill, National Assembly, Parliament, August 16 2011:

1. Introduction

Sixty-five years ago a young soldier returning home to South Africa after the Second World War received a message from the Union Defence Force, part of which reads:

"The aftermath of war and the process of readjustment are likely to produce many difficulties and problems. Patience and tolerance will be needed and the demands upon your courage and spirit of service will remain as great as ever."

This message captures the dignity, respect and care that military veterans should receive in the aftermath of war.

But the message also anticipates the many difficulties and problems military veterans experience in the aftermath of war.

2. Objectives

The objective of the Military Veterans Bill is to provide military veterans and their dependents with a wide range of benefits, including pensions, healthcare and housing, provided they pass a means test.

We must all acknowledge there are many military veterans - from all military organizations - who are in need.

We do have a duty to care for all our military veterans in need, and for that reason we support the objective of the Military Veterans Bill.

3. Controversy

The processing of the Military Veterans Bill has been a complete shambles from start to finish.

3.1 Application

The deputy-minister, who was responsible for "driving" the Military Veterans Bill, has been a political disaster.

Some months ago, the deputy-minister had a bandage around his arm. But what the deputy-minister really needs is not a bandage around his arm, but a bandage around his mouth.

His public statements that former conscripts who served in the South African Defence Force are not "military veterans" and are not entitled to benefits are simply wrong.

The definition of "military veteran" is clear: a "military veteran" includes "any South African citizen who rendered military service to any military organization".

The fact is that former conscripts are military veterans and are entitled to benefits, provided they pass a means test.

Of course, the reality is that very few former conscripts will pass the means test and therefore be eligible to receive benefits.

However, they do remain "military veterans".

The deputy minister must surely recognize that:

• we have a duty to take care of all military veterans in need; and
• that his public statements have caused unnecessary division and tension among military veterans.

My challenge to the deputy-minister is this: do the right thing - tell us you were wrong and let us all move on.

3.2 Task Team

A Ministerial Task Team on Military Veterans was established to make policy recommendations.

The task team was soon zooming around the world, costing us a whopping R855 000.

The task team's final report - which some task team members claim never to have seen - was simply not credible and was, frankly, one big rip-off.

The fact is that members of the task team did not earn the R375 000 in allowances paid to them. 

My challenge to the task team is this: do the right thing - give the money back or donate the money to military veterans.

3.3 Corruption

The Military Veterans Bill could too easily become a legislative gateway to massive corruption.

There are insufficient legislative safeguards against corruption, such as a requirement to prescribe a "verification process", to determine who is and who is not a "military veteran".

The Bill also provides for the "facilitation of or advice on business opportunities" for military veterans.

One wonders how long it will be before the military veterans department is sucked into a corruption scandal, especially since some military veterans associations are currently being torn apart by corruption and tender wars.

3.4 Costing

The costing of the Military Veterans Bill veered from R7.2 billion through R6.4 billion down to R1.6 billion.

However, the final revised costing of R1.6 billion was "hidden" from the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans.

The reason for this is that the objectives of the Bill are not aligned with the costing of the Bill.

The Military Veterans department based the costing on incorrect assumptions.

They assumed that there are 56 000 military veterans eligible to apply for benefits, when the broad definition of "military veteran" in the Bill, means that there may be up to 850 000 military veterans eligible to apply for benefits.

The total additional cost of implementing the Military Veterans Bill is therefore likely to be much greater.

4. Conclusion

We recognize that there are military veterans from all military organizations who are desperate.

We also recognize that we have a duty to care for all our military veterans who are in need.

However, this parliament is about to pass a Bill which is based on a policy framework that is not credible and has financial implications which are not affordable.

We therefore risk creating a gap in expectations between what the military veterans expect and what the military veterans department can deliver.

And it is only a matter of time before this gap in expectations explodes on the minister's "political doorstep".

We do support all military veterans who are in need, but we do not support the Military Veterans Bill.

We would urge the deputy minister to go back to the "drawing board" and make the necessary changes so that we can support the Military Veterans Bill.

Issued by the Democratic Alliance, August 16 2011

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter