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Johannesburg - The Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) wants the ANC to establish a separate ministry to address their needs by the end of President Jacob Zuma’s term in office, NEC member David Mahlobo said on Tuesday.
"There is a proposal time frame that in the next financial year which is 2018/19, subject to the conference decision," Mahlobo said.
He was briefing the media on the feedback from commissions which had discussed the party’s stance on the country and the party’s proposed policies on peace and security.
Earlier this week, Deputy Minister of Military Veterans Kebby Maphatsoe told News24 that former soldiers should be earmarked to protect the country’s national key points because they were patriotic and also had the expertise.
Read more here: MK must be the 'eyes and ears of the ANC' - Maphatsoe
He had also proposed that the military veterans be allowed to guard the party's national key points as well.
On Tuesday, Mahlobo said the proposal had first been brought forward during the 2007 elective conference in Polokwane and that this was just a reiteration that the proposal needed to be implemented.
"Military veterans have put a concrete date to say they will actually be happy to see it being implemented in the next financial year."
He said the party was asked to finish the process of establishing the independent ministry.
“There are certain resolutions that have been implemented but there are those that are still lagging behind,” Mahlobo admitted.
Mahlobo cautioned against the hiring of foreign-owned private security companies to guard national key points, saying it challenged the country's sovereignty.
"We are not saying there's no space for private security," he said.
He added that the regulations regarding the sector, which were sitting with government needed to be passed as law to enable businesses to continue conducting business because the sector contributed to fighting crime and creating employment.
