Cape Town - Destitute Struggle veterans living in Cape Town’s townships are facing a bleak Christmas as yet another year of unkept promises of a better life remain unfulfilled.
Military veterans, consisting of former members of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla), Azanian National Liberation Army and soldiers of the former Bantustans say with only a few days to go, their hearts are already sinking at the prospect of a bleak Christmas.
One soldier said he felt anxious this time of year when his children asked him for something for Christmas and he was unable to fulfil any of their wishes.
Scores of Struggle veterans are living poverty-stricken lives with some homeless, some turning to a life of crime, others jobless, unable to adjust in the new South Africa.
In a desperate attempt to get someone to listen to their plight, veterans from Nyanga enlisted the help of DA member of the provincial legislature Nceba Hinana to assist them in obtaining some form of relief which could assist in feeding their families.
“We are the worst affected by the democracy so many people are enjoying today. We live on the streets, homeless, with some of us sick with various diseases, and some are so old that they can’t get jobs,” the group said.
Pained by the life they are living, the veterans said after all these years they are still struggling to get the necessary help.
Lennox Kona is over 60 and has never had a house of his own, and he believes this will not change in his immediate future.
“The country has forsaken the men and women who bravely offered their lives to end apartheid. We are treated like animals just like in the apartheid days, even today our sacrifices were in vain.”
Kona remains a proud freedom fighter and will not let his circumstances define him.
“What pains me the most is that we have been betrayed by our politicians, betrayed by the military and betrayed by our generals. Our pain has only accumulated over the past 21 years.”
Kona said the sacrifices made were only to secure the lives of a few.
And he questioned why the government did not address the plight of thousands of military veterans.
“We, too, want something in our homes come Christmas day. We, too, would like to make our children be merry this time of the year,” said Kona.
“We talk about democracy and we talk about freedom, but I don’t know freedom. I’ve never known it. I’ve travelled all over the country, Africa, looking for freedom, but I could not find it.”
Sibeko Theophelus said military veterans weren’t waiting for handouts – they wanted what was promised to them.
“We want to help save our communities. We have the skills and the know-how. There’s no freedom at all in our communities if our people are scared to venture outside after dark. Most of us were not just trained just to be killers or trigger-happy soldiers, we want to save the community.”
Theophelus said they could help plan and keep the streets safe.
“Together with the security forces we can tackle crime, gangsterism and drugs.”
Princess Mkosi, 50, was active in the Struggle inside the country, and she married a fellow freedom fighter.
“We were not looked after, we were forgotten. We have been waiting for assistance from government for 20 years, but the wait has been in vain.”
Mkosi said many former military veterans had been battling to survive and were treated like outcasts and criminals by their own people and shunned by the government.
Alfred Sompeta, 46, said they were promised a stress-relief grant, but even after all these years nothing had happened.
“For five years I have been sleeping on the floor in other people’s homes, we are 16 in a two-bedroomed house in Nyanga. This is not what I’ve sacrificed and fought for.”
Former Apla soldier, Martin Bester, said his dream was always to study further.
“Most of us had to leave everything and everyone behind, we came back and we are worse off than before. This is not what we fought for,” he said.
Having been based in Dar es Salaam during the Struggle days, Bester said he is multilingual, can farm and knows security, but still struggles to find a job.
“They promised us houses, education for our children and everything else. But up until today we’ve not seen anything materialise.”
Cape Argus