DMV 2020/21 Annual Performance Plan

Meeting report

DMV: 2020/21 Annual and Strategic Performance Plans

Lt Gen (Ret) Derrick Mgwebi, Acting Director-General: Department of Military Veterans (DMV), said the strategic focus of the Department was anchored in the situational analysis which covered both the internal and external environment. The internal environment sought to ensure that there was enabling legislation, regulations, policies, relevant systems, infrastructure and organisational design. It also sought to ensure the effective and efficient functional strength of the Departmental infrastructure and systems which were key to service delivery.

The DMV aimed ensure the realisation of the Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) framework to accelerate the delivery of services and ensure the Department had capable human capital. The management’s objective also allowed for the DMV environment to be accommodative of all racial groups, irrespective of their gender, values, beliefs, culture and different religious backgrounds. The Department looked at the demographic nature and spread of the military veterans’ population in doing so.

Lt Gen Mgwebi said that the external environment called on the Department to begin to look at more cost-effective ways to deliver on its mandate and strengthen its intergovernmental relations. It also required the military veterans to play a positive role in ridding the country of several security risks to citizens, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies. He advised the Committee that the ‘One District’ approach, which emphasised strategic Public-Private Partnership (PPPs), would be critical in advancing effective, efficient and accelerated delivery of these benefits and services.

The DMV also sought to actively integrate military veterans in communities. The Department would leverage on the Presidential initiatives related to the working environment of the DMV through the Jobs Summit, Operation Phakisa, the Investment Summit and special programmes for designated groups, advocating for the inclusion of military veterans as a designated group, and seeking a legislative review. The Department would continually strive to embrace the principles of good governance, anti-corruption and anti-fraud initiatives.

Lt Gen Mgwebi presented a list of the various stakeholders the Department worked with in addressing the concerns of the military veterans. These included the veterans themselves and their dependents, the South African National Military Veterans Association (SANMVA), Appeals Board, Advisory Council, the Departments of Defence, Home Affairs, National Treasury, Sports, Arts, and Culture, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Higher Education, Science and Technology, Basic Education, Small Business Development, Social Development, Transport, Health and the Government Pension Administration Agency (GPAA).

In the medical fraternity, there was a possibility of duplication in the sense that the SA Military Health Service (SAMHS) also rendered medical services to the military veterans. To address this, the Department would use an integrated database to ensure that there was no ‘double-dipping.’ The Committee was also advised that to address the unfunded mandate, the amendment to the act as well as the costing which forms part of the Cabinet memo, would be consulted with the Minister of Finance.

The strategic outcomes over the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) from 2019 to 2024 were elaborated in the Department’s impact statement, which aimed to improve and sustain the livelihoods of military veterans. To achieve the five-year (2020-2025) targets, the DMV would require visible and stable leadership to sustain strategic oversight, a well-resourced organisational structure to support the service delivery model, a well-defined infrastructure to support a fully functional Department, and fully reliable, effective and efficient integrated Information Communication Technology (ICT) systems.

The Department would contribute to the national imperatives as guided by the Executive Authority (EA) priorities, the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030, and the MTSF priorities for the development of performance information.The contribution of the Department to the MTSF priorities would be enhanced by a reduction in unemployment as well as inclusive economic growth, especially among the youth, women, and people with disabilities, and these would result in empowering and informing the nation about the role and contribution of military veterans towards the democratisation of South Africa.

Briefing the Committee on the District Development Model (DDM), Lt Gen Mgwebi said that the department did not have direct DDM projects, as it was the recipient of services from front-line departments. The DMV’s mandate was to facilitate the delivery of benefits and co-ordinate all activities that recognised and entrenched the restoration of dignity and appreciation of the contribution of military veterans to South Africa’s freedom and nation-building. This therefore made the Department a recipient of services from different government departments through the agreement entered into.

The Committee was also told that the DMV had partnered with front departments which were currently implementing service delivery projects at the district level. In the meantime, it was engaging intensively on this model for the delivery of benefits to military veterans and their communities.

Discussion

Mr S Marais (DA) asked if the DMV was offering any form of medical support to the military veterans during this period of Covid-19, as most of them were vulnerable.

Lt Gen Mgwebi responded that they were offering help to them, as the Department was also working with the Ministry of Defence and with the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to make it possible for the veterans to access military hospitals during this period of the pandemic.

Mr M Shelembe (DA) asked if all provinces had signed the Service Level Agreement (SLA), and if not, why they were yet to sign.

Lt Gen Mgwebi responded that the advent of Covid-19 had stalled progress, but the DMV had been engaging with the provinces on that matter before the advent of Covid-19 and was still looking forward to continuing with these engagements once the pandemic retreated.

Mr T Mmutle (ANC) asked how the Department sought to roll out the transport benefit to the veterans. Could it elaborate on what kind of employment opportunities it was offering to the veterans, and on the education policy?

Lt Gen Mgwebi answered that they had entered into an agreement with the transport ministry, which had agreed to subsidise their Department on that issue. At the moment, they were trying to draw up benchmarks on how it was going to be done and what they could include in the plan before it came out.

On employment, he said the Department was in talks with the Ministry of Public Service to make sure their initial target of getting 20 veterans employed materialised. However, they were also engaging with the Ministry to make sure they also considered employing the children of the veterans as part of the Department's aggressive approach to empower and find jobs for the veterans and their dependents.

Responding to the question on education, he said they had been engaging with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to get veterans into learning institutions. The DHET had also been assisting them with National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) applications, but some were being rejected as they did not meet the requirements demanded by NSFAS. However, they were working on making sure those who were rejected were funded.

Mr W Mafanya (EFF) commented on the absence of the Minister and the Deputy Minister, and said that the meeting was fruitless as a result of their absence, as the ADG would not be able to answer certain questions. He demanded that the Chairperson adjourn the meeting and wait for the Minister and the Deputy to come.

The Chairperson noted Mr Mafanya's concerns, but said that he would allow Lt Gen Mgwebi to continue to answer questions directed to him, and to leave out those directed to the Minister. This position was supported by Mr Marais.

Ms A Beukes (ANC) asked if the DMV had a plan to promote the skills of the veterans. She also wanted to know how the Department was going to do the memorialisation of the liberation history.

Lt Gen Mgwebi responded that the security and protection service was having challenges in profiling the military veterans’ skills set, but they were engaging the veterans to make sure they profiled them and noted down their skills and business interests. When they had them, they would be able to see how the veterans could be of benefit to their communities. Regarding the liberation history, the ADG said they had established historical routes in all provinces, and these routes had the liberation history content crafted by the DMV. The routes were funded by the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC).

Mr Xaba asked if the Department had an appeals board.

The Chairperson said that if there was one, he would like the details of when it had been established, its composition, and an explanation of the issues they had handled so far.

Lt Gen Mgwebi answered that the appeals board had been established five years ago. It would be prudent for the Committee to invite the chairperson of the board to come and answer questions about the issues it had dealt with.

The Chairperson said the Committee was giving a nod to the DMV’s budget with a heavy heart. It was clear that the Department would not be able to achieve its targets as they had unaddressed systemic issues that were exacerbated by the lack of stability in the Department's leadership. This lack of stability was evidenced by the fact that too many people were in acting positions in both the senior and middle levels of management.

Lt Gen Mgwebi said he accepted that without strong and stable management it would be very difficult to achieve the targets. The Department was engaging the Department of Public Service to address the organisational structure, but the process had also been affected by Covid-19.

Mr Mmutle encouraged the ADG to look into the DMV’s transport and employment benefit targets, and to be clear on how they sought to roll out those benefits.

 Consideration and adoption of DOD Budget Vote Report (Vote 23)

The Committee considered and adopted the DOD Budget Vote report, with its recommendations.

The motion was proposed by Mr Marais and seconded by Mr Mmutle.

The meeting was adjourned.