FORMER members of the SA Defence Force and those of non-statutory forces like Mkhonto Wesizwe who register for socio-economic support will be subjected to means tests before any help is given, the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) said yesterday.
Hundreds of people queued at the Carbineers’ drill hall in Geere Street, Pietermaritzburg, yesterday to register for what some believed would be automatic pensions for military veterans.
SANDF Colonel Evarista Tom Seeta said the long queues were caused by a “propaganda campaign” spreading the word that the government was paying pensions to ex-defence force members.
Seeta said the government had launched a national clean-up and consolidation of the military veterans’ database to provide socio-economic support to eligible veterans.
This would include housing, education and skills training for the veterans and their dependants, and healthcare support, transport subsidies and pensions for those who passed the means test.
“I want to state categorically that not everybody will benefit from this programme …
“If you have property, assets and a stable job for example, you can’t expect to get a pension, while there are people both from the SA Defence Force and non-statutory forces who are destitute,” said Seeta.
Registration for Pietermaritzburg residents has been extended to tomorrow. Those registering should take along an identity document and military number.
