Date: 07/03/2005
Source: Department of Defence
Title: George: Meeting with Eastern Cape Military Veterans
Opening Remarks by the Deputy Minister of Defence, The Hon Mluleki George, MP, at the meeting with Eastern Cape Military Veterans, East London
7 March 2005
Programme Director
Acting Premier of Eastern Cape, Mr Gugile Nkwinti.
MEC for Education, Mr Matomela.
Senior Officers & Members of the Eastern Cape Military Veterans.
Members of the Advisory Board of Military Veterans.
The Chief of the Service Corps, General K. Mokoena.
Members of the media present here Ladies and Gentlemen.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
First and foremost I want to thank the Eastern Cape Military Veterans present here this morning for taking the time and trouble to meet with us at the second Department of Defence Imbizo.
I will introduce this Imbizo as briefly and as clearly as I can and then open the way for orderly discussion and interaction with your structures for better understanding of the issues at hand.
Today is about talking to each other and understanding what can and cannot be done. The key objective however is that we all leave here with an agreed agenda for further action including priorities and time frames.
Through this initiative we aim to consolidate an intervention programme to improve and sustain a better life for all registered veterans.
Government will continue to work with other departments in addressing the needs of military veterans.
As the Programme Director has indicated we have a short four hours to conclude our business. The success or failure of our meeting will depend on time management and discipline.
THE GOVERNMENT IMBIZO CONCEPT
Every year Government rolls out a number of Imbizo programmes across the country. This year the Minister of Defence and I have started on ,Sectoral Izimbizo, focusing on issues like the recruitment of the youth to rejuvenate the South African National Defence Force, and, the future and welfare of Military Veterans.
Government in general and, the Department of Defence in particular, have placed the concerns of Military Veterans as an urgent priority.
Having said that however, the Izimbizo have proved themselves as a vital platform to strengthen participatory democracy and enhance coordinated communication between veterans and various relevant spheres of government.
The freedom we have fought for has brought many opportunities. The challenge is to ensure that they can be accessed by all.
Military veterans are key stakeholders of the SANDF and through the facilitation of the Department access benefits due to them.
Izimbizo can serve as a platform for building a partnership of veterans and government in the fight against poverty, low skills and to improve services that veterans need.
THE ROAD SHOW
The Izimbizo on military veterans is a ,road show, which started in February in Khayelitsha where I met the Military Veterans of the Western Cape. I will share the outcomes and agenda for the way forward from that meeting with you shortly. East London is the second Imbizo. Our next stop will be to Durban and our final Imbizo will be in Johannesburg in April.
From the outcomes of these four Izimbizo we will further develop a concerted programme of action highlighting awareness, seeking clarity on concerns, consolidating the issue of registration and the database of veterans and improving general communication and flow of information.
In my capacity as Deputy Minister of Defence I have been charged with a political responsibility to ensure that the work on this issue covered to date, and, outstanding matters are taken forward with clear deliverables and transparent deadlines.
Having said this there are three key issues I want to raise. These three issues have to be sorted out or concluded immediately because without a solution or clear action here we will not be able to deal with any concern of the military veterans successfully.
THREE KEY ISSUES
FIRST ISSUE: The first issue is about the completion of the registration of Military Veterans through a recognised organisation on a centralised database.
This issue is not negotiable. If you are not registered you do not exist. I am aware of some of the problems to do with registration and databases. Today you will either confirm or deny them.
SECOND ISSUE: The second challenge is a related issue, beyond registration and databases, to the general issue of communication and flow of information.
Many of you for instance have no formal channels through which we can inform and communicate with you or receive feedback on your concerns.
I have already tasked our communications people to develop a plan and engage government communication,
Source: Department of Defence
Title: George: Meeting with Eastern Cape Military Veterans
Opening Remarks by the Deputy Minister of Defence, The Hon Mluleki George, MP, at the meeting with Eastern Cape Military Veterans, East London
7 March 2005
Programme Director
Acting Premier of Eastern Cape, Mr Gugile Nkwinti.
MEC for Education, Mr Matomela.
Senior Officers & Members of the Eastern Cape Military Veterans.
Members of the Advisory Board of Military Veterans.
The Chief of the Service Corps, General K. Mokoena.
Members of the media present here Ladies and Gentlemen.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
First and foremost I want to thank the Eastern Cape Military Veterans present here this morning for taking the time and trouble to meet with us at the second Department of Defence Imbizo.
I will introduce this Imbizo as briefly and as clearly as I can and then open the way for orderly discussion and interaction with your structures for better understanding of the issues at hand.
Today is about talking to each other and understanding what can and cannot be done. The key objective however is that we all leave here with an agreed agenda for further action including priorities and time frames.
Through this initiative we aim to consolidate an intervention programme to improve and sustain a better life for all registered veterans.
Government will continue to work with other departments in addressing the needs of military veterans.
As the Programme Director has indicated we have a short four hours to conclude our business. The success or failure of our meeting will depend on time management and discipline.
THE GOVERNMENT IMBIZO CONCEPT
Every year Government rolls out a number of Imbizo programmes across the country. This year the Minister of Defence and I have started on ,Sectoral Izimbizo, focusing on issues like the recruitment of the youth to rejuvenate the South African National Defence Force, and, the future and welfare of Military Veterans.
Government in general and, the Department of Defence in particular, have placed the concerns of Military Veterans as an urgent priority.
Having said that however, the Izimbizo have proved themselves as a vital platform to strengthen participatory democracy and enhance coordinated communication between veterans and various relevant spheres of government.
The freedom we have fought for has brought many opportunities. The challenge is to ensure that they can be accessed by all.
Military veterans are key stakeholders of the SANDF and through the facilitation of the Department access benefits due to them.
Izimbizo can serve as a platform for building a partnership of veterans and government in the fight against poverty, low skills and to improve services that veterans need.
THE ROAD SHOW
The Izimbizo on military veterans is a ,road show, which started in February in Khayelitsha where I met the Military Veterans of the Western Cape. I will share the outcomes and agenda for the way forward from that meeting with you shortly. East London is the second Imbizo. Our next stop will be to Durban and our final Imbizo will be in Johannesburg in April.
From the outcomes of these four Izimbizo we will further develop a concerted programme of action highlighting awareness, seeking clarity on concerns, consolidating the issue of registration and the database of veterans and improving general communication and flow of information.
In my capacity as Deputy Minister of Defence I have been charged with a political responsibility to ensure that the work on this issue covered to date, and, outstanding matters are taken forward with clear deliverables and transparent deadlines.
Having said this there are three key issues I want to raise. These three issues have to be sorted out or concluded immediately because without a solution or clear action here we will not be able to deal with any concern of the military veterans successfully.
THREE KEY ISSUES
FIRST ISSUE: The first issue is about the completion of the registration of Military Veterans through a recognised organisation on a centralised database.
This issue is not negotiable. If you are not registered you do not exist. I am aware of some of the problems to do with registration and databases. Today you will either confirm or deny them.
SECOND ISSUE: The second challenge is a related issue, beyond registration and databases, to the general issue of communication and flow of information.
Many of you for instance have no formal channels through which we can inform and communicate with you or receive feedback on your concerns.
I have already tasked our communications people to develop a plan and engage government communication,
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