Without derogating from its general powers and duties as a national department of state, the Department—
| (b) | must collect and keep data and information regarding state-controlled and privately administered schemes or programmes dealing with any aspect of the affairs of military veterans; |
| (c) | must collect data and information regarding all existing benefits of military veterans and their dependants, and establish a data base on military veterans and military veterans' affairs, which must be updated regularly; |
| (d) | must include, in the data base contemplated in paragraph (g), information collected and compiled as provided for in that paragraph , and data regarding persons qualifying as military veterans or dependants; |
| (e) | must submit programmes which seek to promote the affairs of military veterans to the Minister— |
| (i) | for submission to Cabinet Committees for their approval; or |
| (ii) | for his or her approval, |
and must publish all approved programmes in the Gazette for public notification, whereupon such programmes become binding on all persons and bodies to which they refer and must be implemented according to their terms;
| (f) | may negotiate with departments of state, provincial executive authorities and non-governmental organisations to act as agents for the Department to carry out duties regarding military veterans; |
| (g) | may, through the Director-General, enter into a memorandum of understanding or conclude a service level agreement with any organ of state which is concerned with military veterans' affairs or which administers any law relating to benefits of a military veteran in order to achieve the objects of this Act; and |
| (h) | may exercise any power and perform any duty that may be prescribed. |
