Cape Town - A former corporal in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said he has been battling for years to change his service records which states he only served four years instead of 10.
After learning of his plight, this week, the SANDF has pledged to help Pastor Adam Piet Alexander to resolve the issue of his service history.
Alexander said several corporals who served post-1994 experienced errors with their records and were told human resources could not assist them.
In 1983, Alexander celebrated his 20th birthday and was recruited to join the army.
But he never anticipated the trauma and now disappointment he would suffer.
“We, as young men who were in the army, offered our lives to the government, and we were as young as 18. We were taken out of school with promises that we would be getting ranks and that we would get a career out of it. Now I suffer from post-traumatic stress, and it is not just me. Ash went into my eyes. I watched my sister’s boyfriend, who was also in the army, being shot in front of me, and that traumatised me very much.
“Today, we should be looked after and receive a pension for that,” he said.
Alexander said in recent years, when he queried his service history, he discovered his nationality stated he was Chinese and was later amended to Coloured.
Another document showcasing his service record stated he was part of the army between 1983 and 1987, when, in fact, he had concluded his time in the army in 1990, after receiving his final salary.
“They are stripping us from our years of service and what is entitled to us. My identity number is incorrect. We are being disadvantaged as the old soldiers post-1994.
“To my knowledge, I was accepted in the SA Defence Force on January 1, 1983. I went to Namibia on October 24, 1986. I received a Pro Patria Medal for border duties in Angola. In January 1987. I was deployed to the SA Marine Corps in Simon’s Town on January 5, 1987. I received a Marine Breast Badge.”
He said he served in the Marine Corps until 1988 and was then deployed to South-West Africa in March of the same year under Commander Major Boellie Britz.
“I returned from border duties to South Africa in October 1989, and I received my last salary on the 1 April 1990 when I left the Defence Force after serving for almost seven years.
Alexander said the force number supplied is correct and belongs to him, but the identity number was not.
“I already went to the entire military base in Cape Town for help, but according to the HR personnel, they cannot help me. I would like to know if there is any way the above could be rectified.”
SANDF spokesperson Brigadier General Mafi Mgobozi said there had been no tampering or manipulation of Alexander’s identity number and is requesting that he obtain an affidavit to amend his new identity number following 1994 when the last three digits of identity numbers were changed.
He said Alexander’s nationality had since been changed.
He said the issue regarding his complaint would be investigated and was receiving attention.
“The Department of Defence (DoD) Persal system indicates a distinct sequence in his identity number to that he currently holds, which is being addressed by our Human Resources Division. However, he was informed that for his identity number to be updated, he needs to provide the DoD with an affidavit stating that his identity number has been changed, a confirmation letter from the Department of Home Affairs indicating such change and a certified copy of the member’s identity document.”
He said that upon receipt of the above documents, the member’s details would be fully updated.
“The SANDF wishes this not to be viewed as system manipulation as alleged on the documents supplied to you since the member knew about this before he left the system.”
Weekend Argus