Podcasts about Denel

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) plans to picket outside Denel's offices in Irene, Centurion, to demand long-overdue wage increases. NUMSA claims workers have faced severe hardships, including unpaid salaries during the pandemic and no raises for five years. The union accuses Denel's management and the government of mistreating employees while pushing to privatize the company. Elvis Presslin spoke to NUMSA National Spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, to discuss the protest and the workers' demands

Die staatsbeheerde wapenvervaardiger Denel sê hy is steeds besig om sy globale profiel uit te bou met 'n sterk verteenwoordiging op volgende week se Internasionale Verdedigings-tentoonstelling en -konferensie in Abu Dhabi. Daar is sowat 1 400 uitstallers van 65 lande by die geleentheid wat sowat 135 000 besoekers lok. Denel se woordvoerder, Pam Dlamini, sê die tentoonstelling is 'n ideale platform om hulle produkte weer bekend te stel, wat beskou word as koste-doeltreffende oplossings vir die verdedigings- en sekerheids-omgewings.

Die metaalwerkersvakbond Numsa het 'n plakkaatbetoging by Denel se kantore in Centurion, Gauteng, gehou omdat bestuur die afgelope vyf jaar al weier om salarisverhogings toe te staan. Die vakbond skryf dit toe aan die regering se poging om die wapenvervaardiger te privatiseer. Woordvoerder Phakamile Hlubi-Majola beweer werkers is toenemend onder druk weens salaris-agteruitgang wat talle finansieel en sielkundig verpletter het.

L'Afrique du Sud souhaite rester une force de la paix qui compte sur le continent, et le pays déploie régulièrement ses militaires. Ils sont présents actuellement au sein des missions de la SADC en RDC et au Mozambique. Mais ces déploiements sont critiqués, et les pertes en vies humaines (une dizaine en RDC cette année) sont souvent mises en parallèles avec le manque de moyens de l'armée sud-africaine sur son propre territoire. De notre correspondante à Johannesburg,L'Afrique du Sud reste la 3e force militaire du continent, derrière l'Égypte et l'Algérie, selon le classement Global Firepower. Mais des problèmes avec ses équipements ont été mis en lumière lors de son déploiement en RDC, notamment dans le domaine aérien, avec nombre de ses hélicoptères en maintenance. « Pour le moment, nos forces armées sont surtout équipées pour du combat traditionnel », analyse James Kerr, fondateur de la société Orion Consulting.Il regrette que le pays n'investisse pas dans du matériel à la hauteur de ses ambitions : « Il n'y a pas encore de financement pour les rééquiper entièrement, afin de pouvoir évoluer dans des environnements nécessitant des brigades d'intervention. Le besoin a bien été identifié, mais les financements et les formations ne suivent pas. Il y a donc une forme de déconnexion entre les deux. »« Notre armée nationale n'a pas les fonds suffisants pour se fournir chez nous »Pourtant, l'Afrique du Sud a une industrie de l'armement ancienne, qui a débuté il y a 70 ans, et très développée, avec plus de 600 entreprises impliquées dans la fabrication. Mais les grands groupes peinent ensuite à vendre leur matériel à l'armée, alors que le budget national de la défense représente moins de 1% du PIB. « Nous exportons vers tous les continents. Mais notre armée nationale n'a pas les fonds suffisants pour se fournir chez nous, comme il le faudrait. En conséquence, elle n'est pas bien équipée, et notre industrie voit aussi ses capacités décliner », alerte Sandile Nlovu qui est à la tête de la South African Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD) qui représente le secteur.De plus, l'entreprise publique Denel, principal fournisseur de l'armée, a aussi connu des déboires, comme le détaille William Hlakoane, son actuel directeur d'exploitation : « Vous savez que Denel a été frappée par la corruption et la saisie de l'État, et nous avons fait ce qui était possible pour nous remettre sur pied. Nous étions, il y a peu, une entreprise qui était incapable de payer ses employés. En 2022, il y a eu un refinancement du gouvernement de plus de 3 milliards de rands, et en conséquence, en ce qui concerne notre portefeuille de dettes, nous avons réussi à en régler 90 à 95%. »Enfin, les analystes soulignent aussi que le pays n'a pas les ressources suffisantes pour déployer son armée à la fois à l'extérieur, comme force de maintien de la paix, et à l'intérieur, avec de plus en plus de missions pour combattre la criminalité.

The ANC, PAC, Rise Mzansi and Action SA have lauded Gordhan's fight against corruption while at the helm of the department of public enterprises. During his tenure at the department, Gordhan was responsible for overseeing entities such as Eskom, Transnet, Denel and SAA, amongst others. However, the EFF says that the former Minister's legacy was one filled with the destruction of state owned enterprises. Sibahle Motha has the details 

Politieke partye eis dat die Minister van Justisie, Thembi Simelane, se beweerde betrokkenheid by die VBS-skandaal ondersoek word. Die SAUK se omkeerstrategie is in die kollig in die parlement. Openbare ondernemings soos Denel en Transnet val nou onder nuwe departemente.

L'anniversaire est célébré par l'ambassadeur ukrainien en Espagne. Dans les colonnes de la Razon, Sergueï Pohoreltsev se félicite des « réformes engagées par Kiev en vue d'une adhésion future à l'Union Européenne », mais aussi « de la reconstruction du pays » et ce, malgré la guerre. Le diplomate l'assure : « son pays défend son indépendance mais aussi les valeurs européennes », alors que la Russie, elle, « tente de rayer un État souverain de la carte du monde ».En Ukraine, les rues de Kiev étaient pavoisées de bleu et jaune hier, jour du drapeau national qui vient traditionnellement la veille de la fête de l'indépendance. Dans le Wall Street Journal, des milliers de fanions ukrainiens s'affichent sur la photo de Une pour saluer le 33e anniversaire de la fin de la domination soviétique sur le pays, mais aussi la résilience des habitants de Kiev après deux ans et demi de guerre.Lutte incertaine, de Koursk au DonbassLa Tagespiegel Zeitung interviewe l'analyste militaire autrichien Markus Reisner : l'expert reconnaît « le succès ukrainien » en termes d'image dans l'offensive en territoire russe. Mais il compare cette incursion à un combat de boxe : « L'Ukraine peut donner des coups », « faire vaciller son adversaire », mais « ne peut mettre la Russie KO » car « l'Occident ne fournit pas assez [d'armes] ».Dans Die Welt, le général allemand à la retraite Klaus Wittman salue quant à lui l'incursion ukrainienne dans l'oblast russe de Koursk qui « démonte l'image d'une Russie invincible » et « remonte le moral des Ukrainiens ». Le haut-gradé plaide pour « des livraisons d'armes et de munitions sans restriction d'utilisation » vers l'Ukraine, « car la guerre d'usure met Kiev sur la route de la défaite ».Il Foglio Quotidiano s'est ainsi rendu à Soumy d'où est partie l'offensive ukrainienne le 6 août dernier. Là-bas c'est le pessimisme qui domine : Svetlana, commerçante, vit désormais dans la peur des sirènes d'alarme - un missile Iskander a frappé un parking près de chez elle – « Je ne sais pas si nos militaires font la bonne chose à Koursk », dit la jeune femme... Un soldat fait part de ses doutes « nous n'avons pas beaucoup de force pour faire pression sur l'ennemi » même si « nous luttons pour notre indépendance avec beaucoup de courage ».Le Corriere della Sera raconte aussi la chute à venir de Pokrovsk. « Les forces russes ne sont qu'à dix kilomètres » et « les responsables des chemins de fer portent désormais des gilets pare-balles ». À la gare, les familles emportent leurs affaires essentielles « dans des ‘Ecossais' [sacs plastiques à gros carreaux] qui ne cassent pas même chargés de 10 kilos ». Il y a actuellement 600 départs par jour. Destination Dnipro, à 180 kilomètres plus à l'ouest, 3h de train en théorie. Pendant ce temps, à l'hôpital, les personnels de Médecins Sans Frontière vérifient leur stock de sang. Dans les rues, les soldats épuisés ne se font pas d'illusion : « sans renfort ici c'est fini ».À lire aussiGuerre en Ukraine: à Koursk, objectifs bientôt «atteints», assure KievRenforts attendus des États-Unis… en vain ?Le Washington Post ne cache pas les doutes de l'administration américaine malgré l'aide militaire promise le 23 août par Joe Biden ou les 125 millions de dollars d'équipements détaillés par Antony Blinken : « la Maison Blanche ne sait pas s'il faut soutenir l'offensive ukrainienne en territoire russe ». Le Pentagone n'est pas informé des plans de Kiev, comme le confirme le New York Times. Autre problème vu de Washington : « un nouveau paquet d'aide pourrait raviver le risque d'escalade entre les Russes et l'OTAN ». Ces craintes de débordement du conflit se font jour en Allemagne… la Tagespiegel Zeitung revient ce matin sur l'augmentation du niveau d'alerte dans la base de Geilenkirchen près d'Aix-la-Chappelle dans l'ouest de l'Allemagne.Cette base aérienne de l'OTAN est « au centre de possibles actes de sabotages et d'espionnages » selon des responsables politiques cités par la TAZ. Selon les informations de la télévision régionale allemande ARD, « un service de renseignement étranger a notifié de possibles frappes de drones ».L'OTAN a aussitôt déployé « quatorze AWACS, des avions Boeing convertis en appareil de surveillance de l'espace aérien » ; et si l'origine de la menace n'a pas été formellement identifiée, tous les soupçons se tournent vers la Russie : « la seule nation intéressée par de telles mesures de déstabilisation » en Europe.Le Kyiv Independent s'indigne d'armes bloquéesSelon le média ukrainien en anglais, l'Afrique du Sud a suspendu une livraison de 50 000 obus de 155mm à destination de la Pologne. Des munitions produites par Denel, une filiale du géant allemand Rheinmettal. Elles étaient censées alimenter les pièces d'artillerie de l'armée polonaise. Mais la commission sudafricaine de contrôle des armes conventionnelles a mis son veto sur ces exportations, comme le révèle le média spécialisé DefenceWeb.Raison invoquée d'après Rzeczpospolita : le risque que Varsovie donne ces armes aux forces ukrainiennes. Le journal polonais libéral rappelle en outre que l'Afrique du Sud fait partie des Brics, le club des économies émergentes où figure la Russie. Le contrat a lui été annulé en juillet 2023. Depuis, le Kyiv Independent rappelle que Rheinmettal a prévu la construction d'une usine en Ukraine. En attendant l'Ukraine recevra aussi des munitions produites en Norvège, confirme le site d'information.L'Inde comme médiatrice entre la Russie et l'Ukraine ?Les journaux indiens reviennent sur la rencontre entre le Premier ministre Narendra Modi et le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelenski à Kiev. À leur Une, les photos des poignées de main et des étreintes entre les deux hommes occupent une bonne place, tout comme leur recueillement devant les peluches rassemblées au mémorial des enfants tués en deux ans et demi de guerre.Le Business Standard rapporte les propos de Narendra Modi : le chef du gouvernement indien ne se dit pas « neutre », mais du « côté de la paix ». Le Hindustan Times pointe toutefois les critiques de Volodymyr Zelenski. Le chef d'État ukrainien n'a pas manqué de pointer les contradictions de New Delhi : « les importations indiennes de pétrole russe soutiennent l'économie de guerre de Moscou » dit-il, et entre les lignes, apparaissent ses arguments : tant que « l'Inde [lui] sera économiquement ouverte », « Vladimir Poutine ne ressentira pas les effets de la guerre », contrairement aux Ukrainiens.

Die Batebeslagleggingseenheid in Suid-Afrika het 'n bewaringsbevel van meer as 43 miljoen Suid-Afrikaanse rand suksesvol verkry. Hierdie bevel omvat vier eiendomme en twee bankrekeninge wat verbind word met die voormalige militêre attaché vir die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo in Suid-Afrika, Ngoy Timothee Makwamba. Die streekwoordvoerder van die gesag, Lumka Mahanjana, sê Makwamba was na bewering betrokke by 'n transaksie waar die ambassade van die DRK 49,6 miljoen rand aan die Denel-groep betaal het vir die verkryging van wapens:

Vice-Admiral Mondo Lubese, the head of South Africa's Navy, recently threatened to sever ties with the arms manufacturer due to its failure to repair the Navy's vessels. In an interview with Biznews, DA Shadow Minister of Defense, Kobus Marais, called it a bold statement by the Navy chief and expressed his doubts about Armscor being the right entity to run the dockyard that repairs naval vessels. He stated that the significant failures of Armscor and Denel have contributed to the current dilapidated state of the South African Navy, which has no serviceable submarines and only one operational frigate. This means that South Africa can't defend its 3000 km coastline or honour its international treaties and obligations. Marais pointed out that there is also no capability in the Air Force for the protection of our coastline, which leaves South Africa vulnerable with outdated technology and unable to defend the country or deter any of its enemies. He emphasised that urgent restructuring and repositioning are needed at Armscor and Denel, and the highly capable private defence industry should take over. Marais warned that if the situation continues, the Navy may end up being a “water wing”, which would be an embarrassment and a sad day for South Africa.

Democratic Alliance leader, John Steenhuisen says private sector partnerships create jobs, competition, drive prices down and create efficiency within government. Steenhuisen was defending his party's manifesto position on state ownership versus private-public partnership within state entities such as Eskom, Prasa and Denel. As one of the party's seven pillars, Steenhuisen told Sakina Kamwendo that private involvement in state owned entities will get the economy going again.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has come under fire from opposition parties for what they term ‘reckless' foreign mission deployments. This follows an incident where two soldiers were killed and three injured by a mortar bomb at their base in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where they are part of a peacekeeping force. Currently, 2900 South African soldiers are engaged in combat against M23 rebels in the country. Reports have also surfaced in recent days of an expired Denel contract for helicopter maintenance. In an interview with Biznews, the DA Shadow minister for Defence and Military Veterans Kobus Marais emphasised the “irresponsible” deployment of soldiers in the Eastern DRC citing an overstretched and underfunded SANDF with outdated prime mission equipment. Marais exposed challenges in maintaining essential equipment, particularly helicopters, and raised concerns about SANDF's financial constraints, including the unfunded R2 billion for the DRC mission. Marais suggested withdrawing troops from the DRC to focus on upgrading equipment and prioritising national interests, particularly in Mozambique due to potential security threats. He criticised the lack of clarity on responsibility for troop deployment and the deadlock between Denel and the government. Marais also expressed concerns about our porous borders and the heavy reliance on an ageing reserve force. It is, he says, “like sending guys from the old SADF from an old age home with a R1 rifle” into combat.

Die DA sê die Nasionale Tesourie se onlangse vrystelling van die derde kwartaal-staatsbestedingsverslag openbaar ‘n ontstellende finansiële spiraal in staatsondernemings. Eskom, wat geskeduleer is vir ‘n reddingsboei van 254 miljard Suid-Afrikaanse rand, toon ‘n aansienlike verlies van 7,5 miljard rand, en munisipale skuld skiet die hoogte in tot 75,4 miljard rand. Ander beleërde ondernemings sluit in die Land Bank, die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens, Transnet en Denel, wat almal aansienlike verliese trotseer. DA-lid, Ashor Sarupen, kritiseer die ANC se reddingsboei-benadering en waarsku teen ‘n spiraal wat langtermyn fiskale volhoubaarheid, noodsaaklike dienste en algehele ekonomiese groei in gevaar stel:

A R47-billion guarantee facility, effective immediately, has been extended to struggling State-owned freight logistics group Transnet in support of its recovery plan and to meet its immediate debt obligations. The guarantee was announced following concurrence between Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and follows a high-level meeting between government and business earlier in the week at which business leaders argued for immediate financial support for Transnet to address its port congestion crisis and to arrest the collapse in the rail service. In a statement, the National Treasury said that Transnet would drawdown an initial amount of R22.8-billion to deal with immediate liquidity matters such as settling maturity debt. It added that no equity injection had been considered given that the Budget for 2023/24 was "closed" and expressed confidence that the guarantee facility, alongside swift implementation of the Transnet Recovery Plan, would be sufficient to resolve the State-owned company's challenges. When announcing the Transnet Recovery Plan, Transnet chairperson Andile Sangqu said that the success of the plan would hinge on shareholder support. Media reports indicated that Transnet has requested relief covering R61-billion of its R130-billion debt, as well as a R47-billion equity injection. Godongwana reacted coolly to the request, saying in a Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement media briefing that further engagements were required before support could be extended, and expressed unhappiness that Transnet had seemingly simply presented the National Treasury with an "invoice". He also stressed that any support to State-owned companies would need to be governed by strict conditions, pointing to those that had accompanied recent support extended to Eskom and Denel. In the statement, the National Treasury said a "Guarantee Framework Agreement between the National Treasury, Department of Public Enterprises, and Transnet will include strict guarantee conditions that will be continuously reviewed and amended when deemed necessary". It added that any further drawdowns would be subject to Transnet meeting those conditions. "A Guarantee Framework Agreement must be concluded between National Treasury, the Department of Public Enterprises and Transnet within 14 days of the activation of the guarantee to ensure that any fiscal risks are mitigated and that the conditions of the facility are fully agreed to by all parties. "In addition, National Treasury will continue to work with Transnet to pursue other initiatives to revive its operations and financial viability," the statement reads. Godongwana also emphasised that government continued to pursue deep-running, broader reforms of the company and the logistics sector as a whole, adding that "without a comprehensive reform of the sector, rather than that of a single entity, we risk being faced with similar challenges in the future". However, he also expressed confidence that the reforms needed to put Transnet back on track could be achieved if the entity committed to meeting the strict conditionalities attached to the guarantee and if its speedily implemented the reforms informed by the National Logistics Crisis Committee. Transnet, the National Treasury added, would explore further the divestment of noncore assets, a reduction of its current cost structure, as well as alternative funding models for infrastructure and maintenance requirements. "The latter includes but is not limited to project finance, third-party access, concessions, and joint ventures." Gordhan highlighted the fact that Transnet remained critical to the South African economy. "A well-functioning logistics company is particularly important given the geographical distribution of economic activity in the country, our reliance on commodity and other exports, as well as our distance from key export markets."

A R47-billion guarantee facility, effective immediately, has been extended to struggling State-owned freight logistics group Transnet in support of its recovery plan and to meet its immediate debt obligations. The guarantee was announced following concurrence between Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and follows a high-level meeting between government and business earlier in the week at which business leaders argued for immediate financial support for Transnet to address its port congestion crisis and to arrest the collapse in the rail service. In a statement, the National Treasury said that Transnet would drawdown an initial amount of R22.8-billion to deal with immediate liquidity matters such as settling maturity debt. It added that no equity injection had been considered given that the Budget for 2023/24 was "closed" and expressed confidence that the guarantee facility, alongside swift implementation of the Transnet Recovery Plan, would be sufficient to resolve the State-owned company's challenges. When announcing the Transnet Recovery Plan, Transnet chairperson Andile Sangqu said that the success of the plan would hinge on shareholder support. Media reports indicated that Transnet has requested relief covering R61-billion of its R130-billion debt, as well as a R47-billion equity injection. Godongwana reacted coolly to the request, saying in a Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement media briefing that further engagements were required before support could be extended, and expressed unhappiness that Transnet had seemingly simply presented the National Treasury with an "invoice". He also stressed that any support to State-owned companies would need to be governed by strict conditions, pointing to those that had accompanied recent support extended to Eskom and Denel. In the statement, the National Treasury said a "Guarantee Framework Agreement between the National Treasury, Department of Public Enterprises, and Transnet will include strict guarantee conditions that will be continuously reviewed and amended when deemed necessary". It added that any further drawdowns would be subject to Transnet meeting those conditions. "A Guarantee Framework Agreement must be concluded between National Treasury, the Department of Public Enterprises and Transnet within 14 days of the activation of the guarantee to ensure that any fiscal risks are mitigated and that the conditions of the facility are fully agreed to by all parties. "In addition, National Treasury will continue to work with Transnet to pursue other initiatives to revive its operations and financial viability," the statement reads. Godongwana also emphasised that government continued to pursue deep-running, broader reforms of the company and the logistics sector as a whole, adding that "without a comprehensive reform of the sector, rather than that of a single entity, we risk being faced with similar challenges in the future". However, he also expressed confidence that the reforms needed to put Transnet back on track could be achieved if the entity committed to meeting the strict conditionalities attached to the guarantee and if its speedily implemented the reforms informed by the National Logistics Crisis Committee. Transnet, the National Treasury added, would explore further the divestment of noncore assets, a reduction of its current cost structure, as well as alternative funding models for infrastructure and maintenance requirements. "The latter includes but is not limited to project finance, third-party access, concessions, and joint ventures." Gordhan highlighted the fact that Transnet remained critical to the South African economy. "A well-functioning logistics company is particularly important given the geographical distribution of economic activity in the country, our reliance on commodity and other exports, as well as our distance from key export markets."

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has not "closed the door" on Transnet's move to secure a reported R100-billion in balance-sheet support to assist with its recently released turnaround plan. However, in a Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) briefing, he insisted that far more engagement was required by the troubled State-owned freight logistics utility to build trust with government on whether it was was ready to cut costs and improve efficiencies before "presenting an invoice". He also indicated that he was not interested in negotiating with the group through the media. In unveiling the recovery strategy days ahead of the MTBPS, Transnet chairperson Andile Sangqu said the indebted State-owned enterprise would not be able to deliver on the turnaround plan without a capital injection from the shareholder. Media reports indicate that Transnet has requested relief covering R61-billion of its R130-billion debt, as well as a R47-billion equity injection. National Treasury officials confirmed with Engineering News separately that there had been some initial engagements with the freight logistics utility on the plan, but said that any support could arise only after a "robust and rigorous process", which had not yet been undertaken. The officials noted that it had taken nearly one-and-a-half years to conclude the R254-billion Eskom debt-relief plan, which Godongwana announced in February, and which was promulgated in the form of the Eskom Debt Relief Act in July. The National Treasury had now also proposed amendments to the Act to convert the Eskom loans form non-interest-bearing to interest-bearing, as well as to ensure that the Minister could withhold funding if certain conditions were not met, including those related to the sale of noncore assets. Such stricter conditionality enforcement would be broad-based across all State-owned company bail-out beneficiaries, with Denel having received only a portion of its R3-billion bailout, owing to a lack of progress on the sale of noncore assets. Any relief would also only arise once there was evidence of "self-help" at Transnet aimed at reducing costs and bolstering efficiencies, as well as initiatives to crowd-in private sector participation on the ailing rail network and at the ports. Crucially, Godongwana said government would want to see evidence that Transnet's corporate and operational plans were aligned with the Freight Logistics Roadmap, which was close to being finalised. "The Roadmap sets out a clear path for enhancing efficiencies, facilitating the introduction of competition and leveraging the financial and technical support of the private sector," the Minister said in his actual address. However, the speech also indicated that the National Treasury was working with Transnet and the Department of Public Enterprises to ensure that Transnet could "meet its immediate debt obligations". The National Treasury also acknowledged that Transnet continued to experience weak profitability and deteriorating liquidity owing to operational challenges, a high debt burden and low cash flows. Nevertheless, Transnet's issued guarantee remained at R3.5-billion. The MTBPS does reflect, however, on the damaging economic impact that Transnet's deteriorating rail performance and underperforming ports are having. "The cost of rail inefficiencies last year is estimated at R411-billion," the statement reads, adding that the performance also reduced tax revenue. It highlights the formation of the National Logistics Crisis Committee, which it says aims to improve the operational performance of freight rail and ports, restructure Transnet to ensure it is financially sustainable and implement reforms to create an efficient, competitive and modern freight logistics system. "This work will be integrated with interventions under way within Transnet, including rehabilitating the rail network to improve service delivery, deploying digital solutions to improve efficiency and responsiveness, improving ...

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has not "closed the door" on Transnet's move to secure a reported R100-billion in balance-sheet support to assist with its recently released turnaround plan. However, in a Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) briefing, he insisted that far more engagement was required by the troubled State-owned freight logistics utility to build trust with government on whether it was was ready to cut costs and improve efficiencies before "presenting an invoice". He also indicated that he was not interested in negotiating with the group through the media. In unveiling the recovery strategy days ahead of the MTBPS, Transnet chairperson Andile Sangqu said the indebted State-owned enterprise would not be able to deliver on the turnaround plan without a capital injection from the shareholder. Media reports indicate that Transnet has requested relief covering R61-billion of its R130-billion debt, as well as a R47-billion equity injection. National Treasury officials confirmed with Engineering News separately that there had been some initial engagements with the freight logistics utility on the plan, but said that any support could arise only after a "robust and rigorous process", which had not yet been undertaken. The officials noted that it had taken nearly one-and-a-half years to conclude the R254-billion Eskom debt-relief plan, which Godongwana announced in February, and which was promulgated in the form of the Eskom Debt Relief Act in July. The National Treasury had now also proposed amendments to the Act to convert the Eskom loans form non-interest-bearing to interest-bearing, as well as to ensure that the Minister could withhold funding if certain conditions were not met, including those related to the sale of noncore assets. Such stricter conditionality enforcement would be broad-based across all State-owned company bail-out beneficiaries, with Denel having received only a portion of its R3-billion bailout, owing to a lack of progress on the sale of noncore assets. Any relief would also only arise once there was evidence of "self-help" at Transnet aimed at reducing costs and bolstering efficiencies, as well as initiatives to crowd-in private sector participation on the ailing rail network and at the ports. Crucially, Godongwana said government would want to see evidence that Transnet's corporate and operational plans were aligned with the Freight Logistics Roadmap, which was close to being finalised. "The Roadmap sets out a clear path for enhancing efficiencies, facilitating the introduction of competition and leveraging the financial and technical support of the private sector," the Minister said in his actual address. However, the speech also indicated that the National Treasury was working with Transnet and the Department of Public Enterprises to ensure that Transnet could "meet its immediate debt obligations". The National Treasury also acknowledged that Transnet continued to experience weak profitability and deteriorating liquidity owing to operational challenges, a high debt burden and low cash flows. Nevertheless, Transnet's issued guarantee remained at R3.5-billion. The MTBPS does reflect, however, on the damaging economic impact that Transnet's deteriorating rail performance and underperforming ports are having. "The cost of rail inefficiencies last year is estimated at R411-billion," the statement reads, adding that the performance also reduced tax revenue. It highlights the formation of the National Logistics Crisis Committee, which it says aims to improve the operational performance of freight rail and ports, restructure Transnet to ensure it is financially sustainable and implement reforms to create an efficient, competitive and modern freight logistics system. "This work will be integrated with interventions under way within Transnet, including rehabilitating the rail network to improve service delivery, deploying digital solutions to improve efficiency and responsiveness, improving ...

The Democratic Alliance's (DA's) Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, Ghaleb Cachalia, has called for Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to go. Cachalia makes the call in an interview with BizNews on both Transnet and ESKOM being leaderless. “I call him of late ‘Green Shoots Gordhan' because he says…regularly that there are green shoots in Transnet, there are green shoots in ESKOM, there are green shoots in Denel, there are green shoots in SAA. The fact remains that there are only weeds there. There are no green shoots. And he is responsible for putting the gardeners in place to tend to these weeds which they can't even dig up.” Cachalia says Gordhan is “an incompetent minister who appoints incompetent people to run the heart and spine of our economy”. Cachalia describes African National Congress (ANC) policies as “frankly mad”. He says the ruling party has “created a monster” that they “cannot deal with properly”. - Chris Steyn

The dysfunction of ESKOM and Transnet has sent South Africa's economy into the emergency ward. That has emerged from an interview with Ghaleb Cachalia, the Democratic Alliance's (DA's) Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises. “ESKOM, if you like, is the heart of our economy. Transnet is the spine of our economy. We have destroyed the heart of the economy. It's in ICU. Our spine needs to be looked at by every possible surgeon, to continue that metaphor, in sight, because of course it's broken.” Cachalia also shares his views on the state of other SOEs including SAA which he says is flying on a “shoestring”, and DENEL which was once the “darling of the investor community and now is the skunk of the investor community”. He singles out SAFCOL as the “only” SOE that's “holding its head vaguely above water”. However, he warns that there are “huge land claims about to derail SAFCOL over time”. - Chris Steyn Your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider keeps you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here - https://bit.ly/3lfVRYP. Timestamps 00:33 - Ghaleb Gachalia on what's fixable and unfixable regarding Eskom 05:50 - On the lack of skills 11:45 - The ticking time bomb that is Eskom is far from being diffused 13:30 - On if the gaps between what should be done, what can be done and will be done are reachable at this point 14:44 - On How much time we have for these issues to be fixed 15:58 - On the Transnet disaster 16:37 - The broken spine that is Transnet 24:08 - Ending with words of hope  25:23 - Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State-owned arms manufacturer, Denel is appearing before parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts today on a number of issues including the entity's liquidity status as well as investigations that have been conducted by the Special Investigating Unit. The board failed to appear before SCOPA last week forcing the meeting rescheduled to be postponed to today. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC Parliamentary reporter, Lulama Matya.

The board of state-owned defence manufacturer Denel this week skipped a scheduled meeting with parliament's standing committee on public accounts - SCOPA - leading chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa threatening to summons the Denel board should it fail to appear at it next meeting. This is the latest in a string of instances that individuals, organisations and the executive have failed to account to parliament with no consequences. Last month ANC MP Mosebenzi Zwane failed to appear in House to apologise for State Capture malfeasance. It remains to be seen what, if any, steps the parliamentary joint ethics committee takes against other parliamentarians named in the Zondo Commission report as far back as March 2022. There are suggestions that the absence of standards of accountability and the fact that portfolio committees are not independent, are the reasons parliament is failing in its constitutional mandate to hold the executive accountable. Others say Parliament relies on the very Government  departments it oversees for information on which to base that oversight, and that public participation in some parliamentary committees is woefully inadequate leading to percepetions of an institution that appears to be sleeping on the job. Joining us for a discussion on this is Dr Ongama Mtimka, a political analyst from the Nelson Mandela  Univeristy and Brand reputation management advisor, Solly Moeng.

Episode start 00:08:36After accepting an uneasy alliance with The Unknown the group find themselves in Denel to investigate the next piece of the puzzleIn-game Music and Sound by Syrinscape.www.syrinscape.comBecause Epic Games Need Epic SoundBroadcasted live on Twitch -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/thedice_castersSupport the show

Finance minister Enoch Godongwana has ditched the initial tough love approach when it comes to dealing with state owned enterprises. That's as government used its improved fiscal position to bailout the likes of Sanral, Transnet and Denel. The minister in the meantime did not grant Eskom more funding, but government has agreed to take on a large sum of its debt. Business Day TV spoke to treasury's acting deputy general, Ismail Momoniat for insight into Treasury's thinking around the MTBPS.

Eskom will not finalise its annual financial statements by the statutory deadline of 30 September due to "significant key matters" that will take some time to close out with auditors, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has told the Speaker of Parliament. Two other entities reporting to Gordhan – Denel and Alexkor – will also miss the deadline to finalise and submit their annual financial statements. In a letter to the Speaker published in Parliament's Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC) on Wednesday, Gordhan says he cannot comply with the Public Finance Management Act's requirement that annual financial statements and reports are tabled within six months of the end of the financial year. In the case of Eskom, Gordhan says he expects the annual report to be finalised by the end of October or the beginning of November. Gordhan writes that as the previous year's audit ended late and Eskom had to change auditors, the audit for 2022 started late. There are also "outstanding material issues" that are delaying the audit. These include the confirmation of litigation that Eskom is involved in, PFMA compliance and "generation outstanding matters." Eskom has been unable to service its debt for several years and is dependent on bailouts from the Treasury to remain a going concern. The company is hoping that a solution to transfer some of its debt to the national government will be announced at the October medium-term budget policy statement. In the case of State-owned arms manufacturer Denel, Gordhan says that a funding application has been made to the Treasury, "which is yet to be deliberated by Cabinet with a definitive outcome". Denel has struggled to pay employees in full for more than two years and finally settled outstanding salaries in August. However, it does not have sufficient working capital to pursue orders or projected revenue to remain a going concern. The board of state-owned diamond miner Alexkor has completed the annual financial statements, but due to a delay in the appointment of external auditors, the audit has not been completed, he says. The request for more time for the three companies will not be the first. All state-owned companies must comply with the 30 September deadline or request an extension, but few have done so with the deadline only two days away.

Die Stad Kaapstad se rampbestuursentrum het van April verlede jaar tot Maart vanjaar op 3 760 noodgevalle, meer as tien daagliks, gereageer. Dit sluit in drie stormstelsels wat die stad getref het, die ontploffing by Denel verlede jaar, die brande by Tafelberg, die Universiteit van Kaapstad en die Parlement, en die nasionale Covid-19-ramptoestand. 'n Woordvoerder van die stad, JP Smith ,sê die manier waarop die sentrum voorberei en reageer op die voorvalle is noodsaaklik om lewens te red:

A Proudly South African green hydrogen mobile solution, which is scheduled to be launched at the African Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (AAD) next month, ticks all the local boxes by making use of a platinum-catalysed hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and also being able to accommodate PEM electrolyser technology if need be. Built in response to local and international demand to meet the need for alternative energy solutions, GESS can provide 230 kWh of electrical power to remote and isolated locations, delivered by solar photovoltaic panels, lithium-ion batteries and the PEMFC. “We decided to channel our expertise, dedication and attention to developing green hydrogen solutions, which resulted in the development of South Africa's first green hydrogen mobile solution and becoming the green powerhouse in South Africa,” Rheinmetall Denel Munition stated in its invitation to Engineering News & Mining Weekly to attend the launch at AAD on September 21. The company, which is jointly owned by Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (51%) of Germany and Denel South Africa, is best known in munition and plant engineering circles, having been established in 2008 when Denel's Somchem, Swartklip and Naschem became part of the group. The complete modular, self-sustaining, renewable decentralised energy solution is specifically designed to be adaptable to client-specific requirements. It is easily transported between locations, does not rely on external infrastructure, and is sufficiently robust to be operated in several geographical locations. The units can be optimised for maximum hydrogen production in the event of a preference for green chemical production rather than decentralised energy. “We will target both the commercial and defence market. We are also designing a similar system for field hospitals and clinics in remote lactations, which will be able to provide medical grade oxygen as an additional product,” the company stated. The different decentralised energy and green chemical production units will be designed in Somerset West, Cape Town, whereas the various different system integration functions and over-all system manufacturing will be executed in Boskop, Potchefstroom. Although the green hydrogen is predominately produced through electrolysis by an alkaline electrolyser, a platinum-group-metals-using PEM electrolyser can also be used. The unit is designed in such a manner that one can modify each component to accommodate more efficient technology becoming available. Hence, this system can accommodate renewable electricity produced from wind and/or hydropower if available at a particular site.

Frustrasie en woede oor leë beloftes oor DNS-toetse. Boere bepeins die voor- en nadele van biodiesel. Denel is op koers om te herbou, maar sal dit volhoubaar wees? Suid-Afrika het in 2021 1,1-miljoen ton papier herwin. 'n Predikant vertel waarom 'n merkwaardige kerk in Oos-Londen te koop is.

State-owned arms manufacturer Denel has announced that all outstanding salaries owed to its employees have now been fully paid, after a two-year battle. Denel has paid 318 million rands in outstanding salaries. Head of restructuring, Riaz Saloojee, says the new restructuring plan will place the embattled arms company at the centre of defence industrial capability and excellence. Saloojee says they have been working tirelessly to get the company back where it was before it was brought to its knees by State Capture. Elvis Presslin spoke to trade union Solidarity's Sector Coordinator for Defence and Aerospace Derek Mans

Gloria Serobe - Chair, Denel

State-owned defence company Denel has announced it will institutionalise and implement a new turnaround plan to effect a self-sustaining business. The plan is particularly focused on streamlining the company, growing its order pipeline and accessing new revenue streams. Chief restructuring officer Riaz Salojee said during a media briefing on August 11 that the plan has the support of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and the Denel board, and will be strengthened through a formalised memorandum of cooperation with the Department of Defence (Dof) and its arms procurement agency the Armaments Corporation of South Africa, to ensure alignment on sovereign and strategic capabilities. Denel was a stable State-owned enterprise between 2010 and 2015, but started showing signs of financial distress in 2016/17, partly owing to State capture and emerging weaknesses in management, leadership, project execution and contract management. The company's revenue had fallen from a peak of R8.2-billion in 2015/16 to under R2-billion in 2021/22. It also has not helped that the South African defence budget spend in relation to gross domestic product (GDP) has been declining for a number of years down to 0.7%. This compares with the world's average spend on defence as a percentage of GDP, which sits at about 2%. Salojee believes Denel can start being self-sustaining with an order book of R12-billion and reach a complete turnaround and solid revenue generation with an order book of R30-billion. The current Denel business model, however, remains materially lossmaking, but some improvements can be made on the execution of current orders, among other efforts. The turnaround plan is premised on six elements – reducing costs and improving performance; engaging staff who are performance oriented; increasing the customer base; implementing an effective supply chain, which relates to procurement processes and contract management, as well as optimal stock levels; optimising planning and production; and establishing key partnerships and joint ventures. Responding to whether Denel will be asking for turnaround capital from the fiscus, interim chairperson Gloria Serobe said it would first seek to raise funds by selling noncore assets and reducing its cost base wherever possible. However, Denel has submitted a recapitalisation application to the National Treasury through the DPE, to address the company's legacy debt and introduce liquidity. When asked whether retrenchments were in store, Serobe affirmed that Denel would follow the necessary consultative and legal processes before embarking on such action. She added that the turnaround plan was not meant to negatively impact employees. Salojee said the strategic intent of Denel was to reduce dependence on the fiscus. Rather, a rationalised Denel would focus on its proven capabilities in the fields of guided weapons, land defence systems, aircraft engineering and maintenance and the delivery of complex integrated systems for the security and cyber-environments. However, the problem at the moment was the fixed cost of the business being far in excess of revenue and executable business. The company will now focus on achieving higher levels of efficiency by adopting a smaller geographic footprint and streamlining policies and processes, including on engineering, manufacturing and the support environment. “We intend to grow long-term strategic partnerships with the local defence and technology sectors, and entrench our position once again in the local and international markets,” Salojee said. He noted that there remained a significant interest in Denel's battle-proven intellectual property, adding that the rapidly changing global defence environment would create opportunities to market the company's products. The “reset” of the company will be done in three stages: stabilisation, which is based on current revenues, obligations and reduced infrastructure; followed by sustainability, which will be based on exp...

Denel Pay about R300-Million in Outstanding Salaries by Radio Islam

Die ANC en SAKP wil hulle alliansie versterk. Geen tafels of stoele, maar Denel se werknemers kry darem nou 'n salaris. Julie is verjaarsdagmaand vir Naweekaktueel se suster program, Monitor.

Helgard Cronjé – Adjunkhoofsekretaris: Openbare Sektor, Solidariteit

Die Spesiale Ondersoekeenheid in Suid-Afrika sê hy is reeds besig met sake uit die staatskapingsverslag. Dit sluit nege sake in wat verband hou met die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens, 11 in verband met Transnet en drie van Denel. Die eenheid se hoof, Andy Mothibi, het aan die Parlement gesê die Presidensie en die Departement van Justisie verwerk 44 aansoeke vir proklamasies van die eenheid. Hy sê dit sal toestemming gee vir die ondersoeke na staatskaping en wanadministrasie:

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is also getting in on the action to get State capturers behind bars, and recover some loot. The SIU presented their annual performance plan to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on Wednesday. Before SIU head Andy Mothibi could present the part of their presentation dealing with the Zondo Commission's reports to the committee, he was cut short by committee chairperson Bulelani Magwanishe due to time constraints. The presentation states that the SIU is considering a number of areas coming out of the State Capture Inquiry reports: Identify matters that are highlighted by the report and are covered by the issued proclamations, and those that are not covered; Identifying matters where civil litigation for cancellation of contracts and recovery is underway and those matters where SIU will institute civil litigation; Holding officials, executives and directors to account based on evidence and findings; Making referrals to NPA where the evidence points to a criminal offence; Referrals of evidence to state institutions for disciplinary action; Collaborate with other law enforcement agencies on common matters; and Blacklisting of companies and directors; and referrals to other Regulatory Authorities. "The SIU constituted a committee, chaired by the Head of SIU, to consider the first three parts of the State Capture report and identified matters that will be further investigated to ensure that there is sufficient evidence to proceed," reads the presentation. The SIU will also consider the most recently released fourth part of the report, particularly as it pertains to troubled state power utility Eskom. "The SIU has extensive Eskom investigations, and there are already outcomes in this regard," reads the presentation. From the first part of the report, the SIU has identified nine matters on South African Airways and South African Express Airways. Also, from part one, the SIU has identified a South African Revenue Service related matter that "could lead to civil litigation". "The SIU has also identified three potential civil matters, mentioned in passing in Part 1, relating to City of Johannesburg, the Asbestos project (where civil litigation has already been instituted) with contract value of R255m and the Estina Dairy Project," reads the presentation. From the second part of the report, the SIU identified 11 matters dealing with Transnet, and three potential civil matters relating to Denel. "SIU Civil Litigation Team is considering the reports and investigations outcomes for further civil litigation matters," reads the presentation. Furthermore, from the second part of the report, the SIU investigates SAA, Denel, Transnet and the now-defunct Gupta-owned The New Age media company, who received money from government departments to host breakfast events. From the third part, they are investigating state-owned enterprises Eskom and Alexkor. The previous day, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) informed the same committee that its Investigating Directorate (ID) intends to prosecute nine "seminal" corruption cases related to State capture within the next six months. National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi said the nine prioritised cases were "seminal cases that will talk to the heart of State capture". The ID has declared 82 investigations and enrolled 20 cases, with 65 accused. And it has prioritised nine corruption matters for enrolment within the next six months. Dealing with State capture cases will be the NPA's main focus this coming year. "We are determined to ensure that those implicated in state capture are held to account. This will rebuild public confidence, which is closely linked to investor confidence and also to economic growth, which will help the poorest and the most vulnerable in our country and also deal with the increasing inequality gap in South Africa," Batohi said. While the SIU and NPA are taking action as the reports are published, ...

Hey there, it's Ed Kaiser subbing for Brenda this week, and I'm sitting across from Denel Ihde-Sparks out of our Rochester office. She's the agent that helps residents establish their new lives at Mayo, which is more complicated than it sounds. She's also an agent that had to reboot her business twice! We'll talk about how she navigated starting over, which focused intentionally on empowering her team around their strengths. That and much more, on this edition of the Results Driven Podcast! Feedback? Guest suggestion? www.ResultsDrivenfeedback.com

Die Arbeidshof beslis dat Denel binne tien dae R90-miljoen se salarisse aan Solidaiteit-werknemers moet uitbetaal. Die begrotingsrede ontlok gemengde reaksie van opposisiepartye.

State arms manufacturer Denel went from a financial position of hundreds of millions in profit, a mere seven years ago, to technically insolvent today. It can't pay staff and its electricity was recently disconnected by the Tshwane municipality for being R2.4m in arrears. What helped push this state-owned entity to the brink of collapse was the capturing of its board in 2015 by the Gupta enterprise, assisted to an extraordinary degree by former Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba and his successor Lynne Brown. Michael Appel provides a digestible summary of part II of Zondo's second report.

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, editor Alec Hogg speaks to Brenthurst Wealth Management founder Magnus Heystek about his warning that "the easy money" has been made. Heystek shares what he has personally been doing recently - converting Rand into hard currency to invest in beaten down US stocks. In this explainer piece, Michael Appel dissects state capture at Denel. Linda van Tilburg in London spoke to the acting chief engineer on the MDA Sat constellation project, Nyameko Royi. South Africa took an important step forward this year in space science when the Cape Peninsula University of Technology launched three nanosatellites.

Clement puts the spotlight on the malfeasance at state-owned enterprises, Denel. He speaks to Ra'eesa Pather, investigator at Open Secrets, Adv Fay Mukaddam , Chartered Director and Technical Advisor at the Institute of Directors of South Africa and Defense analyst, Helmoed heitman. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Wayne, Petey, and Stew strap on their berets and enjoy some Shakespeare, including the new Tragedy of Macbeth and the Kenneth Branagh Henry V. Plus, their own tribute to a fallen brother in arms, and a rundown of their Top 5 Movies of 2021.

'n Suid-Afrikaanse soldaat is doodgeskiet in Mosambiek se Cabo Delgado-provinsie. Suid-Afrikaners word gevra om bloed te skenk voor die Kersnaweek. Solidariteit gryp in om werkers by die sukkelende openbare ondernemning, Denel, te help. Die minister van vervoer, Fikile Mbalula, maak die tussentydse statistieke oor padsterftes bekend. Die adjunkhoofregter, Raymond Zondo, vra vir uitstel om die werk van die Staatskapingkommissie af te handel.

In this weeks short Kenny and Denel have some extra weird news and Jenny talks about some weird remedies.

In this weeks short Kenny and Denel have some extra weird news and Jenny talks about some weird remedies.

Denel talks about Jaila Gladden who convinced her kidnapper to help her escape, and Jenny tells the story Jennifer Pan who hired a hitman.

Kobus Verster, CEO ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) Mike Benfield, CEO of Macsteel & Talib Sadik, former CEO of Denel

Trade, industry & competition minister Ebrahim Patel stated the obvious in his budget speech recently by saying that “SA's import to GDP ratio is too high for a country that desperately needs more jobs”. He was also on point in stating that “competitiveness and industrial agility are critical to longer-run localisation efforts”. Downstream steel users complain that steel prices are being raised almost weekly by ArcelorMittal SA. Opposition to the extension of safeguard duties on steel imports is intensifying, with the country's leading merchant challenging the extension of the duties in court and with others even questioning the economic benefits of sustaining a primary steel producer. Michael Avery spoke to ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) CEO Kobus Verster; Mike Benfield, CEO of SA's largest steel merchant Macsteel; & Talib Sadik, former CEO of Denel.

Paulin Kantue refers to himself as a citizen of the world. He is born from Cameroonian parents in Italy, moved to South Africa for most of his adult life, and now he is based in Europe. In this episode, we learn that his early influence on STEM started at a young age, but being an aeronautical engineer was cemented in 10th grade. He breakdowns exactly what an aeronautical engineer is and explains the differences between the aerospace and aeronautical engineer. He currently a PhD student in intelligent drone research at Witswatersrand University, South Africa, he is completing his final year remotely. Paulin has 13 years of work experience and he tells us about his past work at ATE aerospace and Denel, where he worked as a chief flight control system engineer and, he tells us about some exciting projects. Lastly, he tells us about Uav4africa a company he founded in 2018. This, is the only privately-owned African aerospace company involved in academically-recognized research, and development that was developed to solve African problems. Find out about all this and so much!  Support the show (https://paypal.me/RootofSciPod?locale.x=en_US)