On 18 September 2024, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the twelfth Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition at Air Force Base Waterkloof, where he engaged with exhibitors and delegates during a tour of the event.
Ramaphosa was accompanied on his walkabout by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, and General Rudzani Maphwanya, Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The trio visited both local and international exhibitors, including South Africa’s own Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Denel, Milkor and Twiga, as well as international exhibitors from Brazil, China and Turkey. His visit to these stands underscored South Africa’s commitment to both fostering local defence capabilities and learning from international advances.
Particular attention was given to two key airlifters on display—the Brazilian Embraer C-390 and the Chinese Xian Y-20. These modern cargo aircraft, highlighted in the indoor displays, were also part of the static outdoor exhibition. Ramaphosa took extra time to discuss both aircraft with their representatives, signifying the importance of these platforms in the context of South Africa’s defence and logistics needs.
Ramaphosa, after being briefed on various defence products at the indoor displays, made his way outdoors to examine the two cargo aircraft firsthand, receiving detailed briefings on their capabilities.
Speaking to reporters after his tour, the President expressed optimism about South Africa’s defence capabilities, particularly in relation to Denel, the state-owned arms manufacturer. Denel, which has faced significant financial and operational challenges in recent years, received a positive endorsement from Ramaphosa: “Denel has also showcased that we have technological capability. Now, Denel, as we all know, has gone through a horrendous period during State Capture, but I’m glad to hear and to see that they are rebuilding.”
Ramaphosa acknowledged the strides being made to restore Denel’s prominence, emphasising that “Denel is coming back to (its) glory days.”
Ramaphosa emphasised the need for South Africa to strengthen its defence systems in light of the innovations on display. The President noted that as he and Motshekga visited the various exhibits, she would tell him of the various items that the SANDF required.
“So, we need to strengthen our own defence system,” Ramaphosa said, adding with a smile that the Defence Minister had been compiling a “long shopping list” of the various innovations on display.
“These are very expensive, extremely expensive,” he said, “but we are serious about the defence of our country. In order for us to upgrade our Defence Force, these are the types of innovations that we need to begin,” he said.
In closing, Ramaphosa quipped that whilst he departed from the event “well-informed,” he wished the Minister of Finance had been present.
