Little Rivonia Trial commemorated

14 March 2014

The Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thabang Makwetla, will outline the role of the department of military veterans and it's program of action when he delivers remarks during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Natal sabotage trial , otherwise known as the 'Little Rivonia' trial of 1964.

The trial lasted four months and all the nineteen accused were sentenced to Robben Island. Amongst others, the trial consisted mostly of founding members of MK who were honoured with various medals by President Jacob Zuma during the military veterans parades held in 2013, and they include Billy Nair, Ebrahim Ebrahim, Riot Makhwanazi,Curnick Ndlovu, Albert Duma and many others.

The function is organized by the Kwa Zulu-Natal MKMVA and will be held tomorrow(15/03/2014) at the Rydalvale Sports Complex in Phoenix starting at 9am.

More than a thousand military veterans are expected to attend. According to the 2011 Military Veterans Act, a military veterans is "any South African who has been a member of the below stated military organizations for a minimum of two years, permanently employed and has not been dishounarbly discharged ;viz, members of the then Union Defense Force before 1910,former members of the SADF from 1910 till 1994, former members of MK,APLA and AZANLA". It refers to former soldiers who came from both sides of the liberation conflict and integrated to establish the new SANDF in 1994.

The Military Veterans Act enjoins the state to deliver the following benefits to eligible military veterans and their dependents, based on a means test for each benefit applied for, namely, free education, free access to public transport , free housing, skills development, business support, job placement, burial support and memorialization in life and in death.

Regulations outlining methods of delivery have been gazzetted during the beginning of March 2014 and the department of military veterans was allocated a total of R300 million to roll out these benefits.

In line with above and as part of the memorialization policy, the ministry views the commemoration as an important initiative aimed at preserving and promoting the role of the role the armed struggle and military veterans in bringing about peace,democracy and development.

Amongst other speakers, it will be the Presidential Spokesperson,Mac Maharaj and the Premier of KZN, Senzo Mchunu.

Media is invited.

Issued by the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans

Ntime Skhosana
Spokesperson for the Deputy Minister


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