MEDIA STATEMENT
ATT: ALL NEWS EDITORS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 02 October 2024
Military Ombud attends 16ICOAF conference in Berlin
The South African Military Ombud Lt Gen (Ret) Vusumuzi Masondo led a delegation to the Sixteenth International Conference of Ombuds Institutions for the Armed Forces (16ICOAF) that took place in Berlin, Germany from 30 September to 02 October.
He participated in a session with themed “Support and Care after Deployment -Veteran Care” wherein he delivered a presentation and addressed the conference on how ombuds institutions can uphold and enhance the various systems of care and support for veterans, especially focusing on supporting veterans with physical and mental health concerns.
Masondo shared with his peers that veterans who served in the South African National Defence Force since 1994 have access to the necessary physical and mental health care they may require.
However, the Office has identified that a great number of military veterans who fought for the liberation of the country are excluded from the mandate in law and have little if not limited physical and mental health care support. “A lesson for us involved in furthering the democratic order would be to remember to include all soldiers involved in such a struggle in future veterans’ dispensations. I found it serving the purpose of the Office to forge strong and reliable relations with stakeholders impacting veterans’ health,” said Masondo.
In sharing the best practices and experiences, Masondo presented several case studies the Office dealt with regarding military veterans’ benefits. In one case the fund administrator decided to terminate the membership of a veteran because he failed to pay subscription fees.
The member only learned about the membership termination after a claim he submitted was rejected by the fund administrators.
The member approached the Office to complain and the Office immediately assumed jurisdiction on the matter. Upon investigation, the Office ascertained that prior communication by the fund did not reach the complainant, as he had changed cell phone numbers and no trace of informing the complainant was found. The Fund ultimately reinstated his membership and reimbursed him.
Masondo mentioned that the Office reaches out to veterans through the Outreach Programme that helps the Office to note the increase in complaints trends from veterans relating to health services post their careers as soldiers.
The conference also announced that South Africa will host the 17ICOAF next year in 2025.
ICOAF gathers representatives of ombuds institutions for the armed forces from around the world, which exist in various names and models. To date, representatives of ombuds institutions of over 50 states have participated in the ICOAF initiative.
The objectives of the 16ICOAF were to raise awareness, facilitate and foster peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge and best practices. Further.to articulate future policy responses among ombuds institutions.
For more information; Please contact Mrs Nthombikayise Queeneth Mdluli Jacha, Head of Communications at (012) 676 3812/ 072 271 2816 or Email: Jachaq@milombud.org or Ms Teresa Magidela, Public Relations Officer at (012) 676 3811/ 060 601 7724 or Email: MagidelaT@milombud.org
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY OMBUD
