Pretoria – The Department of Military Veterans says the delay in pension payments was due to budgetary constraints.
In a statement on Thursday, 10 July 2025, the department said it was “aware of concerns raised by a group of approximately 300 military veterans regarding delays in the disbursement of the military veterans’ pension”.
The department added: “We acknowledge the hardship faced by military veterans and recognise their frustration”.
This benefit is a vital intervention aimed at restoring dignity and improving the quality of life of those who served this country with honour.
“However, it is important to clarify the following: due to the budgetary constraints under which the department currently finds itself, it has become evident that the regulations governing the disbursement of the military veterans’ pension need to be reviewed,” the statement said.
“Once this process is complete, the department will resume the roll-out of the military veterans pension, ensuring that deserving military veterans receive the financial assistance they are entitled to.”
Since the implementation of this benefit in November 2023, at least 4 378 military veterans have successfully received their military veteran pensions.
The department said it continues to work closely with the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) to process and pay new beneficiaries as they are verified.
“In future, we appeal to military veterans to engage directly with the GPAA to check on the status of their applications and to raise any challenges so that they can be addressed timeously,” the department said.
“We remain committed to upholding the dignity of all military veterans.”
