South Africa - Department of
Military Veterans (2010 - )
The
South African Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu and her
deputy, formally inaugurated the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) in May
2010. Former Acting Secretary for Defence, Tsepe Motumi, was appointed
Director-General of the Department in February 2010.
The DMV
was proclaimed in the Government Gazette (number 32844) of 28 December
2009. The Department will be responsible for the overall management and
administration of military veterans’ affairs including, but not limited to,
developing legislation, policy, programmes, benefits and services that
facilitate the transition from active service to civilian life. The National
Treasury has allocated R20 million to the DMV for the 2010/11 financial year as
part of the defence budget.
More
than 500 guests attended the official launch of the department and the unveiling
of the logo of the newly established department at the Denel Group campus in
Irene, south of Pretoria. “The initiative of establishing the DMV forms part of
efforts to recognise and profile selfless contributions made by many fellow
patriots in an effort to bring about the realisation of a peaceful, democratic
and prosperous South Africa,” said a media release. The theme of the new
department is “Military Veterans: From conflict to development and
nation-building”, said a spokesman for the Department.
image by Martin Grieve, 07 Jan 2011
The flag
of the new DMV follows the standard pattern of South
African National Defence Force (SANDF) flags adopted in April 2003
with the emblem of the Department in the fly of a green SANDF ensign. The
emblem comprises an African shield in yellow in the centre of a nine-pointed
star used by all the arms of the SANDF. In the centre of the shield is a white
dove in flight. Bruce Berry, 07 Jan 2011
image by Martin Grieve, 07 Jan 2011milvet.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 07 Jan 2011