The Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs, Security Services, and War Veterans’ Affairs has recommended that the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs amend the law to allow dependents of war veterans over 18 years old to continue receiving support for higher and tertiary education.
The committee stated that the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs should harmonise the Veterans of Liberation Struggle Act Chapter 17:12 and Statutory Instrument (SI) 281 of 1997 by December 31, 2024.
SI 281 of 1997 states that “educational benefit will be extended to those who are above 18 years provided that the studies or the training commenced while the beneficiary was below the age of 18 years and are being pursued on a full-time basis.”
Section 12.2a(ii) of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act states that: “The Minister shall, in consultation with the Ministry of Finance, by Statutory Instrument, prescribe educational benefits to a veteran of the liberation struggle, his or her spouse, and his or her dependent, which shall consist of education assistance at a government primary, secondary, higher, and tertiary educational institution.”
The Portfolio Committee on Defence advised the Minister of War Veterans to amend the SI to ensure dependents over 18 years old continue to access support for higher and tertiary education.
This recommendation comes after the Children of War Veterans and Heroes Dependants Forum petitioned Parliament to exercise its oversight and legislative functions and ensure the government implements the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act to address their issues.
The petition was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs, Security Services, and War Veterans’ Affairs for consideration, which conducted an inquiry into the issues raised in the petition.
During public hearings, the Defence Portfolio Committee said participants across the country confirmed that some children of war veterans over 18 years old were denied educational assistance benefits by the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs.
“In addition, they expressed concern that for a few who were being assisted, there were delays in fee payments to relevant tertiary institutions, resulting in many disturbances such as failure to attend lectures, risk of dropping out, and failure to access results and certificates,” read the committee’s report.
A proposal was made to amend the Act to provide education assistance to children of war veterans over 18 years old so that they can learn up to a Professional Doctorate Degree.
“The Minister should amend the Statutory Instrument in such express terms to ensure that dependents over 18 years old continue to access support for higher and tertiary education regardless of whether such studies commenced when they were below 18 or not,” said the Defence Committee.
The committee also said that effective from the third term of 2024, the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs should provide timely payment of school fees for children of war veterans currently on its list of beneficiaries.
“The Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs should formally engage tertiary institutions by July 31, 2024, to allow continuous learning for war veterans’ dependents while fees payment is being processed,” said the committee.
In their petition, the Children of War Veterans and Heroes Dependants Forum asked Parliament to amend the definition of “dependent” in the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act to include dependents over 18 years old who require fee assistance for higher and tertiary education.
The children also requested Parliament amend the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act to include a provision on respect, honor, and recognition of the veterans of the liberation struggle, exercise its oversight role in terms of Section 119 (2), and ensure the constitutional rights to benefits of war veterans are upheld.
The petition also addressed land evictions, stating that Parliament must ensure evictions of heroes’ dependents from allocated land are halted and provide sufficient funds for the Liberation Struggle Fund to enable full realization of the welfare of war veterans and their dependents.
Therefore, in its recommendations, the Defence Committee said the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Resettlement should adhere to the provisions of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act in all future land allocations.
On the issue of the “rampant” evictions from farms and mines, the committee said going forward, the Lands Ministry must ensure that compensation and provision of alternative land of equal size are provided when repossessing land from war veterans, in terms of Section 21(3) of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act.
The committee also said the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare should review and adjust monthly pensions for war veterans and ex-political prisoners to be equivalent to that of a Warrant Officer Class 1’s salary in the Zimbabwe National Army by July 31, 2024.
Another recommendation made by the Defence Committee is that the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, should establish at least one specialized medical care unit for war victims at provincial hospitals by December 31, 2025.
