ATC080617: Report on Special Pensions Amendment Bill

Finance Standing Committee

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Finance on the Special Pensions Amendment Bill [B29-2008] (National Assembly- sec 75), dated 17 June 2008.

The Portfolio Committee on Finance, having considered and examined the Special Pensions Amendment Bill [B 29– 2008] (National Assembly – sec 75), referred to it, and classified by the JTM as a sec 75 Bill, reports the Bill with amendments [B29A-2008]

1. The Committee further reports as follows:

The Committee acknowledges the sacrifices and the immense contribution made by     former Freedom Fighters/Ex-Combatants to the establishment of a non-racial, democratic constitutional order.

 The Committee notes that former Freedom Fighters/Ex-Combatants who were 30 years old as at December 1996 and were engaged full-time in the service of a political organisation for five years prior to 2nd February 1990 do not qualify for a special pension.

2. The Committee recommends that:

2.1 The Minister of Labour should ensure that his Department, after consultation with the respective Ex Combatant organisations, develops accredited applied training programmes for former Freedom Fighters/Ex-Combatants. 

2.2 Government should give consideration to meeting the costs of counselling and related medical treatment for Freedom Fighters/Ex-Combatants suffering from post traumatic stress, where required.

2.3 Government should give consideration to making available sufficient resources to implement these recommendations effectively.

2.4 A system and process of regular reports to Parliament by the Department of Labour should be implemented and the first report should be tabled within six months after the enactment of this amendment bill.

2.5 National Treasury should provide the Committee with a comprehensive report on its outreach programme to alert people who qualify for a special pension.

2.6 The Minister of Finance should develop and table quarterly reports on the implementation of the Special Pensions Act as amended. The first such report should be tabled within the first quarter after the enactment of this amendment bill.

Report to be considered.