The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has expressed deep concern over the Department of Military Veterans’ (DMV) ongoing failure to adequately serve military veterans. The DMV, along with the Castle Control Board (CCB), appeared before the committee to present their amended strategic plans, annual performance plans and budget for the 2025/26 financial year.
DMV has been characterised by weak leadership and administrative instability, and operational inefficiencies from the fifth, sixth and now during the term of the seventh Parliament term. According to the DMV, despite these challenges, it will aim to deliver dignified and targeted services to deserving veterans by improving collaboration with other state organs.
Committee members were visibly frustrated with the DMV’s continued inability to resolve long-standing issues, particularly around the disbursement of benefits to military veterans and the prolonged delay in appointing a permanent Director-General. The committee highlighted that the department has had 12 directors-general in its 14-year existence, an indication of chronic instability and administrative dysfunction.
The committee Chairperson, Mr Dakota Legoete, noted that the DMV appears to exist solely to pay salaries and perform internal administrative duties, rather than delivering on its core mandate of serving military veterans.
Mr Carl Niehaus described the situation as deeply concerning, emphasising that the department’s operations stand in direct contradiction to its stated mission and vision. He criticized the continued tenure of the acting Director-General, calling for her removal. “Veterans are still unable to access their benefits while the DMV speaks of digitising its systems, yet its physical database remains riddled with discrepancies and verification errors,” he said.
Committee member Ms Faith Muthambi added that it was disheartening to witness veterans being denied the basic benefits promised to them, painting a picture of a government and Parliament that appears indifferent. She criticised the DMV’s housing delivery claims, noting that while the department reported having built 133 houses in 2023/24 and plans to construct 250 houses in 2025/26, these figures appear to be unrealistic and unsubstantiated. “We are not even sure if the department can physically show us these houses,” she said.
Ms Muthambi warned against empty promises, stating, “We are dealing with people who fought for our democracy, yet we continue to fail them. The DMV consistently misrepresents the reality on the ground.”
Mr Legoete stressed the urgent need to appoint a permanent Director-General. “We currently have an acting DG who is uncertain about her future. This creates instability and undermines accountability. Delays in leadership appointments compromise our oversight role and make it difficult to follow the money trail or evaluate performance,” he said.
Mr Christian Hattingh echoed the frustrations, noting that the DMV’s inability to prioritise veterans has led to recurring underspending and funds being returned to the National Treasury. “It is heartbreaking that veterans are reaching out to us in desperation, some waiting over a year for their benefits. The DMV is effectively in a state of paralysis. Millions are being spent on administration, yet even a basic call centre remains out of reach,” he said.
Several committee members also raised concerns about the continued involvement of retired Major General EM Mashoala in the database verification and cleansing process. They argued that his ongoing presence has failed to yield credible results, causing real military veterans suffering due to an incompetent and flawed verification system.
Jabulani Majozi
3 July 2025
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