21 May 2017

Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Veterans Affairs Unit to provide for the benefits and welfare of military veterans, says Minister of Defence, Justice and Security Mr Shaw Kgathi.

Addressing Botswana Defence Force Retired Members Association (BDFRMA) during its ninth Annual General Meeting in Palapye on Saturday, Mr Kgathi said the unit would provide for the benefits and welfare of military veterans and ultimately put in place programmes to prepare service men and women for post military service.

“I anticipate that the establishment of the unit will mitigate current trends which result in a large number of veterans struggling to earn a living post military life and becoming impoverished,” stated Minister Kgathi.

He said the establishment of the unit was clear demonstration of government’s commitment in fulfilling its duty of care to retired military members.

The setting up of the Veterans Affairs Unit, he said, was the first step in the journey of a thousand miles, adding that work had already been accomplished in drafting the design and manning structures of the unit.

“We have secured and seconded an officer of the rank of lieutenant colonel to assist in setting up the office,” he said. Further, Mr Kgathi informed BDF retired members that after assuming his role as the minister responsible for defence, justice and security in 2014, he found a backlog of 63 appeals by the former members of the BDF on issues of pension and welfare.

He said currently there were only 10 cases being processed, and this had given the Defence Council an opportunity to concentrate on other critical issues relating to the welfare of members and former members of the BDF as well as general superintendence of the BDF.

“It is in this spirit that I also prioritised amendment of the BDF Act.

My plan is to have it deliberated and considered during the July sitting of Parliament.” ENDS

He said the current pension structure presented difficulties for members of the BDF and that on retirement as most encountered serious problems caused by the low replacement ratio.
He said in some cases the pension was so low that they were forced to encash the entire sum, adding, ‘this is one of the complexities currently being addressed in the amendment of the BDF Act.”
Mr Kgathi, who is also MP for Bobonong, further said about 10 000 men had separated with the BDF since it was formed in 1977.
He said the association currently had 1 200 members, representing only 10 per cent of the country’s ex-service men.

He said effectively there were potentially over 8 000 ex-service men who might not be receiving the benefits that came with membership of such an association.
“This concerns me because re-integration outside military life is difficult enough a challenge that requires effective support and programmes,” he said. ENDS