Denel’s successful financial turnaround and its strong record of delivery on major products and projects in support of South Africa’s national defence will feature prominently in its presentation to Parliament today.

“We are telling Parliament about the achievements of a state-owned-company that has in the past three years turned from loss-making into a profitable entity and, in the same period, delivered the Rooivalk helicopter to the SANDF, was awarded the tender for the Army’s new infantry combat vehicle, the Badger, and is a leading player in the world of advanced, unmanned aerial vehicle systems,” says Vuyelwa Qinga, the Group Communications Manager of Denel.
“This is a great story of an organisation that was recently named as the best-governed state-owned company, in a survey conducted by the University of Stellenbosch and which received a long-term ratings upgrade from Fitch Ratings at the beginning of 2014,” says Ms Qinga.

Denel executives led by Group CEO, Mr Riaz Saloojee, will meet today with the Portfolio Committee on Labour and Public Enterprises, in the National Council of Provinces. Ms Qinga says Denel is in an important stage of its transition from “being a good company, to becoming a great company,” as it also extends its range of products and services from a dominant focus on defence-related products into the broader, high-technology and advanced manufacturing sectors. Denel is a top tier supplier of complex aerostructures to Airbus Military; it is a leading company in the utilisation of composite materials with significant potential applications in civilian industries; its technology, engineering skills and prowess in project management can contribute to the Government’s multibillion rand infrastructure investment programme and it is increasingly earning vital foreign exchange for South Africa through its exports to South East Asia, the Middle East, South America and the rest of the African continent.

Ms Qinga says Denel is also proving its value as a national asset for all South Africa’s citizens through its investments in research and development and its contributions to skills development programmes through bursaries, internships and high school enrichment courses in the fields of science, mathematics and technology.