Pretoria - Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, said plans were underway to establish Heroes Acres in the provinces in recognition of those military veterans who contributed in the struggle for the country's democracy.
Speaking at the National General Council of the South African National Military Veterans Association (SANMVA) conference held in Pretoria yesterday, Sisulu said a number of military veterans had died and were never accorded nor given a decent burial.
Sisulu said the department is in a process of concluding the Burial Policy which will include recognition and honorary services.
SANMVA, launched in 2008, is a national umbrella association which comprises of former liberation armies such as MK, Apla, and Azanla as well as the Council of Military Veterans' Organisations.
"In all fairness, the many unsung heroes and heroines of yesterday's fierce battles against apartheid-rule and their courageous families have to this day bore their pain on sacrifices made, with dignity and patience.
"We have begun to provide burial support to those deserving military veterans.
According to the records of the department of military veterans, there are currently 57 000 registered military veterans," she said.
Last year Cabinet approved R1.6 billion to the address the plight of military veterans.
The amount was set to cover among other things military pension, free health care, access to public transport, business support, education and re-skilling, memorialisation, housing and burial support.
