DMV Launches KwaZulu-Natal Verification Drive for Military Veterans

According to the DMV, the DVCE programme is designed to ensure that the national database of military veterans is accurate, credible and reliable.

The Department of Military Veterans (DMV) has called on all eligible military veterans in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and across South Africa to participate in its ongoing national verification drive, a key step toward finalising their status and accessing benefits provided by the department.

The verification is being carried out through the Database Verification, Cleansing and Enhancement (DVCE) Work Stream, operating under the Presidential Task Team, with the objective of validating applications for inclusion in the National Military Veterans Database.

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Building a Credible National Veterans Database

According to the DMV, the DVCE programme is designed to ensure that the national database of military veterans is accurate, credible and reliable. Through this process, eligible veterans are formally recognised, enabling them to access statutory benefits such as healthcare, housing support, education assistance and other forms of social relief.

The verification drive primarily targets:

• Non-statutory force (NSF) members who did not integrate into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and

• Applicants who submitted claims between 2016 and 28 February 2022.

The programme has already been rolled out successfully in Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, North West, Free State, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape.

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KwaZulu-Natal Rollout: February–July 2026

The DMV confirmed that the verification programme will be implemented in KwaZulu-Natal from 2 February 2026 to 18 July 2026, covering multiple districts across the province.

KwaZulu-Natal verification schedule:

• Newcastle: 2 February 2026 – 5 SAI Battalion

• Pongola: 3–4 February 2026 – OPS Corona Base

• Ulundi: 5–6 February 2026 – OPS Corona Base

• Richards Bay: 7 and 9 February 2026 – 121 SAI Battalion

• Port Shepstone: 10–12 & 16–17 February 2026 – Banana Beach Resort

• Durban: 18 February–1 June 2026 – Army Support Base KZN

• Pinetown: 2–3 June 2026 – Venue to be confirmed

• Pietermaritzburg: 8 June–16 July 2026 – Ingoma-Makhosi Base

• Esigodini: 17–18 July 2026 – Ingoma-Makhosi Base

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Eligible Groups for Verification

Applications will be assessed from veterans belonging to the following categories:

• Former Umkhonto weSizwe (MK)

• Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA)

• Azanian National Liberation Army (AZANLA)

• Self-defence units

• Former political prisoners with prison numbers

The department clarified that applicants who already possess force numbers or Certified Personnel Register (CPR) numbers are not required to attend the verification process.

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Verification Requirements

To participate in the verification drive, applicants must meet the following conditions:

• Attend in person for face-to-face verification

• Present a valid South African ID document or ID card

• Have complete and formally submitted application files

Verification sessions will be scheduled according to location and submission status of applications.

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Who Qualifies as a Military Veteran?

In terms of the Military Veterans Act, 18 of 2011, a military veteran is defined as a South African citizen who:

• Rendered military service and completed training,

• Is no longer in service, and

• Was not dishonourably discharged.

Further information is available on the department’s official website at www.dmv.gov.za.