Durban: The Department of Military Veterans (DMV) has called on eligible applicants throughout KwaZulu-Natal and across South Africa to engage in a verification drive aimed at confirming their status, thereby granting them access to various benefits. This initiative forms part of a broader effort to finalise the National Military Veterans Database.
According to South African Government News Agency, the DMV is executing this national verification programme through the Database Verification, Cleansing and Enhancement (DVCE) Work Stream under the Presidential Task Team. The programme's primary goal is to authenticate applications to ensure the DMV maintains an accurate and reliable database, which is crucial for military veterans to access department-provided benefits.
The initiative predominantly targets non-statutory force (NSF) members who were not integrated into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), as well as those who applied for inclusion between 2016 and 28 February 2022. The DMV has already rolled out this verification process in several provinces, including Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, North West, Free State, Mpumalanga, and the Northern Cape.
The verification process in KwaZulu-Natal is scheduled to take place from 2 February 2026 to 18 July 2026, with specific dates and locations such as Newcastle, Pongola, Ulundi, Richards Bay, Port Shepstone, Durban, Pinetown, Pietermaritzburg, and Esigodini outlined for participants.
Applications will be considered from former members of groups such as Umkhonto weSizwe (MK), Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA), Azanian National Liberation Army (AZANLA), self-defence units, and former political prisoners with prison numbers. Applicants possessing force numbers or Certified Personnel Register (CPR) numbers do not need to attend the verification process.
Verification requires individuals to be physically present and provide a valid South African ID document or card. Only those with fully completed and submitted files will be invited, with sessions scheduled based on location and application submissions.
Under the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011, a Military Veteran is defined as a South African citizen who has completed military service, undergone training, no longer serves, and was not dishonourably discharged.