‘Beaten’ Struggle vets fight for their lives

All we want is to be paid from the $128m the UN gave the ANC for our reparations from which only the elite are benefiting while we are dying as paupers

LESLEY KGOGO WAR VETERANS’ SPOKESMAN

THREE military veterans who took part in the hostage drama, where two ministers and a deputy minister were held against their will at St George’s Hotel and Conference Centre outside Tshwane on Thursday evening, were fighting for their lives at different hospitals yesterday after they were apparently beaten.

A fourth veteran was also said to have had his kidneys damaged.

The veterans, who call themselves Liberation Struggle War Veterans (LSWV) consisting of umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla) and Azanian National Liberation Army (Azanla), believe that the ANC took $128 million (R1.88 billion) from the UN earmarked as compensation for freedom fighters.

They say the money was invested in different companies where only the “elite” allegedly benefited.

A member of LSWV, Lesley Kgogo, yesterday said one of their members was in bad shape in hospital.

“We visited them in hospital. They are in critical condition and one of them is really fighting for his life. Our own comrades, whom we fought (alongside) with in exile for the liberation of this country, have sent our enemies to beat us and harm us. We were not armed or carrying any weapon, but we were severely beaten,” he said.

Kgogo said they were told to come to the hotel where they were expecting to be addressed by Deputy President David Mabuza, but were surprised when they were told that he was not available to meet them when they arrived.

“The whole thing was orchestrated to make us look bad. We have been negotiating on these issues since November last year. All we want is to be paid from the $128m that the UN gave the ANC for our reparations. It isn’t taxpayers’ money and we know that they invested some of the money in different companies where only the elite are benefiting, while we are dying paupers.”

Kgogo’s allegations about the $128m from the UN were confirmed by retired General Enoch Mashoala, who is the chairperson of database verification and enhancement, an entity that verifies the credentials of all the liberation veterans, who said this money had been a bone of contention during the negotiations.

Mashoala was also held hostage alongside Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele, as well as Deputy Defence Minister Thabang Makwetla.

“The issue about the $128m from the UN was raised with Deputy President Mabuza and we are still waiting for further evidence about this money so the matter can be properly addressed. I am a military veteran myself and I would love to benefit from it, too,” Mashoala said.

He said he was called to the meeting to make a presentation as part of the eight work streams tasked to deal with military veterans’ issues.

Mashoala said the veterans were agitated when they were told that Mabuza, who was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to head a task team dealing with military veterans’ matters, was not available to address them as promised.

“I must admit that we haven’t communicated

adequately with the veterans, and their issues isn’t (sic) a new thing, but they had no right to keep us hostage,” said Mashoala.

“When Minister Modise, who wasn’t feeling well and came off the bed to come and address them, asked to go to the bathroom during the hostage situation, these guys refused unless they could escort her to the toilet. I negotiated with the leaders to allow the minister to go to the bathroom without being escorted.”

However, Kgogo said what caused the breakdown was a “disrespectful attitude from Mondli (Gungubele)”.

“They kept us waiting for two hours. They didn’t even apologise for it, and then they told us that the deputy president wasn’t available to see us. But we all know now that as they were keeping us waiting for ‘a meeting with the deputy president’, they were organising private security companies and special forces to come and attack us.

“The ministers had their armed bodyguards and we weren’t armed. We came to the meeting in good faith, only to be beaten and treated like criminals for demanding what is due to us.

“Our demands have been clear from day one. We want to be compensated from the money paid by the UN. We want all freedom fighters to be absorbed in various departments according to their skills. We want medical aid, as our health is deteriorating,” Kgogo said.

“The ANC stole the money meant for the liberation veterans, and now we are called criminals when we ask the leadership about it. Who is the criminal here, the thief or the victim of a crime?”

Kgogo also denied claims that they were demanding R4m each.

“That’s a lie, we are asking for what is due. We are talking about 45000 members who fought for the liberation of this country, but go to bed hungry every night while those who were sitting on Robben Island are living large, while we were dodging bullets in the trenches.”

Military veteran and Pan African Congress spokesperson Jaki Seroke confirmed that the veterans were angry over the government’s failure to honour them and to look after them.

“There’s a Military Veterans Act of 2011 which outlines the delivery of 11 benefits, including military pension, access to education, access to health services, housing, etc. These are basic benefits due to people who have served their country with their lives,” said Seroki.

“For example, one of the government departments uses different criteria – before they give you a house they take you to the Human Settlements Department and the department requires a spouse. Another problem is that they are required to have service numbers, meaning you must have been in the army – the current SANDF.”

SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said three suspects were released on Friday while 53 would appear in court tomorrow. He said the suspects were likely to be charged with at least three counts of kidnapping.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said the operation was peaceful as no blood (was) spilt, nobody (was) shot, the law was enforced and the people were protected. ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe could not be reached for comment, and also failed to answer questions sent to him about the money from the UN.