Cape Town - The Mkhonto weSizwe Liberation War Veterans (MKLWV) want Department of Military Veterans Director-General Irene Mpolweni removed from office over how she and the department handled the veterans’ repatriation and reburial programme.
Group spokesperson Mbulelo Musi said Mpolweni did not consult the MKLWV on the repatriation and reburial programme, despite being “fully aware” that it was a key stakeholder.
“The majority of families affected are from MK members who perished during the more than 30 years of the armed liberation struggle,” he said.
The group was also upset that Mpolweni ignored their pleas to postpone a special workshop on the reparation issue, which meant they did not have enough time to prepare for it.
It was held by Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa in collaboration with Mpolweni.
At the workshop, members of various military veterans groups, including MKLWV, spoke of their concerns about the repatriation of their fallen comrades and demanded more regular consultations.
Missing Persons Task Team head Madeleine Fullard spoke about the difficulty identifying remains buried together and without names.
She said the identification of graves in various African countries was difficult, especially when the graves were overgrown because they had not been taken care of.
Fullard assured participants that repatriation would continue until all human remains were identified, repatriated and buried according to the families’ rituals so they find closure.
Mpolweni promised the veterans that she and the department would in future engage with them regularly.
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za