EAST LONDON – In a commitment to fast track housing assistance for military veterans, the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements, led by MEC Siphokazi Lusithi-Mani, hosted a comprehensive consultative workshop on 9th November 2023 in East London.
The workshop aimed to gather insights from military veterans and stakeholders, refining the draft policy that prioritizes this demographic within the destitute and vulnerable groups programme.
The innovative policy seeks to provide high quality housing solutions to the most vulnerable members of society, with a specific focus on military veterans. By engaging directly with veterans and stakeholders, the Department aims to fine tune the policy criteria to effectively address the housing needs unique to this group in the Eastern Cape.
MEC Lusithi-Mani, delivering the keynote address, articulated the department’s commitment to practical implementation,”It is our intention to move beyond theoretical articulations and strike the necessary balance between theory and practice. We prioritize the delivery of housing assistance to military veterans, recognizing their courageous contributions and sacrifices in ushering the democracy we enjoy today,” said Lusithi-Man.
The workshop was well attended by various stakeholders, including military veterans, government officials, and civil society organizations. Participants engaged in robust discussions, sharing their experiences and providing valuable input to refine the policy.
Eastern Cape chairperson of MK military veterans Mandilakhe Dilima expressed cautious optimism, stating,”We feel a bit of hope now that the government is engaging itself to work. However we wish the government can speed up, because some of these veterans are very old and most of them die whilst on these lists. We have been waiting for so long, but we do have hope because in some places there’s progress. We also are very optimistic about the plans that the government has aligned on tackling loadshedding,” Dilima
Closing remarks were delivered by the Acting Head of Department of Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements Edmond Venn, “We are going to advertise a panel of contractors for military veterans and we are going to advise that military veterans get their own panel within the Eastern cape department of human settlement,” Venn.
Working in collaboration with the Department of Military Veterans, the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements is actively identifying and overcoming bottlenecks in the housing delivery process. The collaborative effort aims to streamline operations and ensure the swift provision of homes for military veterans, acknowledging their service and addressing their housing requirements.
