WATCH: Madals feel dumped!

A GROUP of madalas feel neglected and want compensation from government.

They said they were part of umzabalazo, sabotaging the apartheid regime with their bare hands.

The elderly from Ga-Rankuwa in Tshwane and Mothutlong in Brits said they were internal liberation military veterans who were part of the uprisings in Gauteng.

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Meshack Molefe (70) from Ga-Rankuwa said they were part of the uprising in 1976, fighting for people like former president Nelson Mandela to be released from prison.

"Some of our activists were shot and killed by the apartheid regime. We were detained and tortured. They used pliers to pull our 4-5s. The pain was unbearable. Today, no one listens to our pleas," Meshack said.

They're demanding the same compensation given to military veterans.

"We demand free education, free healthcare and free housing," he said.

Meshack said about 50 of them are demanding compensation, but other members have since died.

Another member David Mohajane (66) said they are angry government is not compensating them.

"We're planning a protest in July. No one owns the struggle. Everyone who participated deserves recognition and compensation. We fought without weapons and confronted the apartheid regime with our bare hands," David said.

Pule Mabiletsa (68) said: "I was part of the 1976 uprising, but was left out in the compensation. We've tried to talk to government without success."

He said he still loves the ANC, but it must compensate them.

Lot Ramfolo (66) chairman of internal liberation military veterans in Mothutlong, said: "We demand what belongs to us. We were part of the struggle."

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When Daily Sun sent Military Veterans spokeswoman Lebogang Mothapa an enquiry, she said: "The people on the list you've sent are not on the Department of Military Veterans database. We've also checked on our application register as well as the verification list.

"They have also missed the Gauteng verification process, which happened in 2022. A military veteran has to be on the national database in order to access benefits. They'll, however, be given an opportunity to present their applications in the next Gauteng verification process. The dates will be communicated to them in due course."