Maroelamedia reports on military veterans

Many South African military veterans are in need and can be assisted to apply for amongst other benefits, free medical cover, housing and funeral cover as provided by the Military Veterans Act.

Johann du Preez, chairman of the SA Defence Force Association (SADFA) explains that SADFA is a military veterans’ organization which offers veterans the optimal opportunity to belong somewhere, partake in numerous projects and to be looked after. This also ensures them decisive participation on the highest level of the Department of Military Veterans.

“We believe that military veterans should be acknowledged for their contribution to the development of the RSA – men and women that made sacrifices and served their Country with honour and dignity. People that had served their Country unselfishly and deserves to be recognized, remembered and be taken care of. The South African Defence Force Association (SADFA) was established in February 2009 with the sole purpose to ensure this.”, says Du Preez.

Du Preez explains that SADFA focuses on four pillars – support, recognition, commemoration and nation building. He says that SADFA is busy establishing a national support base to provide assistance and support to its members in several projects which focus on this specifically. Part of this national support structure is the units which are established in towns, where members are allocated in to join in these projects. These units are managed by a leader group which consists of a chairman, chaplain, adjutant, communication official and a sergeant major. This leader group offers members the opportunity to be leaders in their communities.

Membership fee is R200 per annum and any person who did not serve in the military but can associate with the values of SADFA’s community projects, can join as a supporter member. These members benefit from all the Association offers except the benefits as set out in the Military Veterans Act and cannot be registered on that database.

“Several welfare projects are run to support our members. We also have economic projects to support our members to earn an income. One of these welfarprojects involves the benefits as set out in the Military Veterans Act (Act 18 of 2011). This Act prescribes that military veterans qualify for certain benefits. These benefits are amongst others, free medical cover, housing and funeral benefits as well study support for the veteran, his/her spouse and children. To apply for these benefits, the veteran has to first be registered on the military veterans’ database. SADFA helps his qualifying members with this registration process as well as the application for benefits afterwards.”, he says.

Du Preez adds that many military veterans are in need, have no income and can therefore not pay the R200 membership fees in order to join SADFA to be helped with the application of these benefits.

“We are however in the privileged position that Solidariteit Helpende Hand undertook to assist with the first year’s fees for anybody that cannot afford it. This places SADFA in a position to help these veterans to get access to these benefits they are in dire need and it makes Solidariteit Helpende hand part of our solution to assist veterans who needs care.”, says Du Preez.

For more information and to become a member, visit www.sawv.co.za or contact 060 603 2930.