2 October 2013
We the 507 delegates, bonafide Military Veterans, who served their country with pride, representing various Military Veterans organisations gathered here, at Birchwood Conference centre, Boksburg, from 29th September to 2nd October, 2013, to establish an umbrella Military Veterans Association that will represent all Military Veterans, hereby declare:
To the Military Veterans community;
The people of South Africa;
And the world to know
That:
The constitution of the Republic of South Africa states:
"We People of South Africa; Recognize the injustices of the past; Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country."
That we the Military Veterans who stood against each other in the divide between the forces that meant to liberate our country, and those which sought to maintain the past that our society did not need nor deserve, now stand united in reconciling and building the nation, to bring about social cohesion, unity and to work together to build a better life for all.
Recognizing that, despite the many achievements made since the advent of democracy in our country, on 27th April 1994, many Military Veterans still live under conditions of abject poverty, unemployment and inequality, and many still carry the scars from the conflict of the past.
We therefore commit to work together as the new umbrella Association, established in accordance with the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011.
We commit to work in close partnership with the Department of Military Veterans, the government as a whole, and all sectors of society.
We further commit to ensure that the umbrella association, that we declare as the South African National Military Veterans Association, shall conduct its business, in a fair, transparent, accountable, and inclusive manner.
The South African National Military Veterans Association shall lawfully represent the interests of Military Veterans.
The South African National Military Veterans Association shall hold free, fair and regular elections, and at least once a year it shall report to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.
We further commit that the South African National Military Association shall account to it's member constituencies.
We as delegates and members of SANMVA having resolved to dissolve the SANMVA that was established at Booysens Hotel on the 28 September 2008, under the repealed Military Affairs Act of 1999, have resolved to reconstitute and establish a new SANMVA in line with the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011 together resolve to:
We resolve to mobilize all Military Veterans to work together to contribute towards deepening social transformation, building peace and stability as well as enhancing sustainable economic development.
We resolve to contribute towards the establishment of regional, continental and global cooperation of Military Veterans.
We the delegates of this conference, therefore call on all the Military Veterans, business, labour, civil society, as well as the international Military Veterans community to work together with SANMVA for the realization of all these resolutions.
The initiative of establishing the Department of Military Veterans forms part of government's commitment to support and recognise Military Veterans for their contribution to bring about the realisation of a peaceful, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
A dignified, unified, empowered and self-sufficient military veterans’ community.
To facilitate delivery and co-ordinate all activities that recognise and entrench the restoration of dignity and appreciation of the contribution of Military Veterans to our freedom and nation building.