Under the watchful eye of the EMPD, members of the Umkhonto weSizwe National Council (MKNC) peacefully demonstrated outside the Germiston Civic Centre, last Monday.
The group, dressed in the bright yellow and green of the ANC, held signs listing their demands.
“We, the MKNC in Ekurhuleni, handed over a petition with a number of grievances, demands and dissatisfaction to the metro,” said MKNC spokesperson Eugene Mogotlane.
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Among the demands were:
1. Recognition of MKNC in Ekurhuleni.
2. Employment of MKNC military veterans within the region.
3. Implementation of the ANC’s 54th National Conference resolution that Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) and MKNC have equal representation.
4. Implementation of the Vukuphile Empowerment Programme within the region.
5. Participation of MKNC in the ANC regional structure.
6. Deployment of eight MKNC military veterans within Ekurhuleni as liaison officers.
The GCN spoke to Mogotlane to seek further clarity on some of the demands.
When asked why MKNC feels they are not recognised, Mogotlane responded.
“MKNC feels that it is not recognised by the leadership of the ANC in Ekurhuleni based on the fact that it has made a number of attempts to convene meetings with the regional office bearer (ROB) of the ANC without success,” he said.
“The ANC makes no effort to be present at the meetings and often does not have the decency to communicate their absence. This leaves us with the perception that they are not even apologetic about it.
“We feel neglected by the ANC because we do not receive the same treatment from the ANC in Ekurhuleni as the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA).
“MKMVA receives better treatment and it enjoys benefits that are due to all military veterans in the region.
“Furthermore, the MKMVA has access to the ANC ROB, whereas MKNC does not enjoy any of this.”
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When asked to elaborate on the demand for the employment of veterans within the metro, Mogotlane responded.
“The military veterans act of 2011 explains some of the benefits that military veterans are entitled to.
“These include assistance in finding employment and business opportunities,” he explained.
“The act further states that veterans and their dependants are entitled to a pension, education, skills development and training, housing, burial support and the provision of/or subsidisation of public transport.
“With this in mind the MKNC would like to see veterans being employed in the metro.”
When asked to share more information on the Vukuphile Empowerment Programm,e Mogotlane explained, “The Vukuphile Empowerment Programme is a programme that was adopted by the metro to empower community members with skills.
“A community member will be involved in the programme for a period of two years and thereafter they will be presented with certificates of different skills they have learnt through the programme.
“This will help them find employment or enable them to start their own businesses, with the help of the metro.”
Mogotlane further explained that the MKNC would like to play an active role in the ANC’s regional structure.
“We would like one of our regional leaders to sit in on ANC meetings as an ex-officio member,” said Mogotlane.
The GCN sent a query to the metro to ask when the MKNC’s demands would be addressed, but at the time of going to press no response had been received.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za.
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