Case against 53 military veterans who allegedly held ministers hostage withdrawn

The case against the 53 liberation struggle war veterans has been withdrawn. This after the group appeared at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court earlier on Tuesday.

The matter was withdrawn after the defence made representations to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Gauteng Division.

According to the NPA, since the trial is not proceeding, the R500 bail paid to secure the veterans’ attendance in court will be reimbursed to them.

This after in October last year, the military veterans allegedly refused Defence Minister Thandi Modise to leave the St George’s Hotel in Tshwane where they were meeting.

The group, comprising the Liberation Struggle War Veterans (LSWV), Apla and Azanla, reportedly got angry after they were promised a meeting with Deputy President David Mabuza, but got Modise and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele and Deputy Defence Minister Thabang Makwetla instead.

The group called a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing Modise of not adequately responding to their grievances.

“Thandi Modise is new to her portfolio and would not be able to fix the problem. There are no barricades, she is not being held hostage. She can come and go as she pleases, we just want a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa. They’re under no security threat,” spokesperson of the veterans Lwazi Mzobe told Newzroom Afrika at the time.

The veterans were reportedly demanding R4.4 million in reparations each, including a housing allowance, for their children and wives to have medical aid benefits and children to be put through tertiary education, among other demands.

ALSO READ: Hostage case: 42 military veterans granted R500 bail each

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said in a statement following the incident that their demands were being processed by the government.

“The process started by President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the grievances of military and war veterans must be supported, so as to expeditiously address legitimate grievances of veterans,” said Mabe at the time.