Military Veterans Act, 2011 (Act No. 18 of 2011)RegulationsRegulations for the implementation of the Burial Support, 20257. Procedure for application for Military Veterans' burial support |
| (1) | An application for any section 5 benefit made in terms of the Act and these Regulations must be lodged by submitting an appropriate compatible electronic completed form contained in Annexure X, or a completed form contained in Annexure Y, together with the prescribed Annexures in compatible format with the Department or to the Provincial Coordinator in the province to which the applicant resides, as the case may be— |
| (a) | by hand; |
| (b) | registered post; or |
| (c) | electronically on the Department's official website address or the relevant address specified in the appropriate form. |
| (2) | An application contemplated in sub-regulation 7(1), must be accompanied amongst others, by— |
| (a) | a copy of the Identity document of the Military Veteran and, where applicable, the identity document of his or her spouse; |
| (b) | proof of the spousal relationship status; and |
| (c) | the copy of the unabridged birth certificates of the dependents of the Military Veteran, or court-issued document as evidence of guardianship, where applicable. |
| (3) | On receipt of an application made in terms of sub-regulation 7(1), The Department must furnish the Military Veteran or his or her representative with an acknowledgment of receipt, which must: |
| (a) | be dated and stamped with the official stamp of the Department; |
| (b) | reflect the name and identity number of the Military Veteran; and |
| (c) | reflect the names of the designated officials. |
| (4) | The Department must keep a register of all applications received manually or electronically, which register must record in respect of each application: |
| (a) | the identifying particulars of the Military Veteran; |
| (b) | the date of the application; and |
| (c) | the type of benefit applied for. |
| (5) | All application forms, be it manual or electronic, must be available at the offices of the Department or any other place designated by the Department. |
| (6) | If the applicant does not qualify for the benefit in terms of the Act, or these Regulations, the Department must inform the applicant within 30 days, in writing at the applicant's address or other point of contact stated in the application: |
| (a) | that he or she does not qualify for a benefit in terms of the Act, or this Regulation; |
| (b) | the reasons why he or she does not qualify; and |
| (c) | of his or her right of reconsideration of the application and appeal application, as contemplated in sub-regulation 9(6); 9(7); 9(8), and 9(10) and of the mechanism and procedure to invoke such rights. |
| (7) | In cases where a Military Veteran has been deceased for a period of more than a year, only tombstone benefit will be applicable. |
| (8) | If the Department cannot make burial payments timeously, the following documents, must be provided, in order for the Department to issue a commitment letter to the family's chosen service provider that will render the burial support services: |
| (a) | Completed documents provided by the DMV burial support office (application to access benefits form, and data base notification of death). |
| (b) | Clear certified copy of the deceased's ID. |
| (c) | Force number or successful applicants who appeared before the verification process with recommended letters for inclusion into the DMV database. |
| (d) | Death certificate. |
| (e) | Certified marriage certificate or proof of customary marriage. |
| (f) | Burial order, doctor's report and notice of death (BI1663). |
| (g) | Written proof that the Military Veteran was unemployed or employed and whose annual income fall below or earns less than R101 640 (single) and R203 280 (married) a year, whose assets do not exceed R143 800 (single) and R2 877 600 (married). These figures will be updated annually before the beginning of the financial year after consultation with the Minister of Finance. |
| (h) | Clear certified ID copy of the claiming beneficiary. |
| (i) | Three affidavits and certified ID copies of three family members permitting beneficiary to claim funeral benefits if a veteran is not married. |
| (j) | Beneficiary to write an affidavit taking full responsibility for burial support claim. |
| (k) | Bank statement of the beneficiary. |
| (l) | Proof of residence. |
| (m) | Contact number of the beneficiary. |
| (n) | Invoice for burial cost. |
| (o) | Families to apply for the registration of deceased Military Veterans who are not registered on the DMV National Database |
| (9) | The burial support claim application must be submitted within 12 months after the death of the Military Veteran, where reimbursement costs are to be claimed. |
| (10) | Notwithstanding regulation 3(1), the Department may, after considering evidence from either the demobilisation records, the certified personnel register or service certificates provided by a Military Veteran's relevant recognised association, provide burial support for the Military Veteran who was not listed in the national Military Veteran's database at the time of his or her death provided it is proven by documentary evidence that he or she would have qualified to be listed in that database had he or she registered before his or her death. |