The South African ministerial defence and military veterans familiarisation tour this week stopped in Centurion’s Highveld Techno-park for an engagement with SADI (South African defence industry) representatives.
Minister Angie Motshekga and her deputies Richard Hlophe and retired major general Bantu Holomisa with Acting Secretary for Defence Thobekile Gamede were on the receiving end of a briefing by Sandile Ndlovu, SA Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD) Executive Director and Acting Chairperson.
AMD members and other defence industry stakeholders were in attendance to help familiarise the ministerial delegation with the local defence industry. Dr Mthobisi Zondi, Sandock Austral Executive Chairman, gave closing remarks following the presentation, which was hosted by Saab Grintek Defence.
In her response remarks, Motshekga committed to regular engagements with the ndustry, and underscored the fact that the Department of Defence cannot do things on its own and thus require partnerships to succeed. The South African defence industry is one of the critical stakeholders that DOD needs to succeed, she said.
As far as is known Minister Motshekga and her deputies have to date been briefed by SA Army Chief, Lieutenant General Lawrence Mbatha and his SA Air Force (SAAF) counterpart, Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo. The ministerial threesome also called on the Hatfield, Pretoria, offices housing the Department of Military Veterans (DMV). Other scheduled stops include what are termed “critical divisions” with joint operations and logistics named before “engaging with soldiers on the ground” nationally according to the Department of Defence (DoD).
