Boosting the participation of women in the defence industry value chain is an economic and strategic necessity that will strengthen South Africa’s security, local industry, innovation and advanced manufacturing, said Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga on Thursday.

Although women occupy about 48% of research positions in Africa, they remain under-represented in the defence sector, highlighting a significant pool of untapped talent that could be deployed in the highly technical defence and related industries.

Greater participation by women would expand the industry, enhance research, design, leadership and innovation, and improve global competitiveness, Motshekga told delegates at the State-owned arms procurement agency Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor) Women and Youth supplier information day.

However, increasing women’s participation required South Africa to overcome persistent barriers and improve access to information and markets.

She added that advancing the capabilities within the industry would require investment in skills development, research and innovation, which were essential for a high-technology industry.

“Inclusion must be structural, sustainable and measurable because, when women and youth are meaningfully included, economies grow and nations are more secure.”

The Department of Defence (DoD) was also running programmes for youth aimed at strengthening the defence sector's future capacity.

Given the high levels of youth unemployment, including among those who have completed tertiary education, efforts within the defence industry should focus on creating opportunities for young people.

“It is unacceptable that a job may seem to be a privilege for our youth. Many start to question themselves if they remain unemployed even after getting an education.

“However, South Africa has significant national needs around cybersecurity, and will need to develop and build considerable digital expertise.

“Additionally, we have a huge coastline that presents lots of threats and we will need to significantly bolster our maritime capabilities to secure it,” Motshekga said.

The Department would host a workshop between government, the defence industry and academic representatives to set out a path to develop the industry and build its competitiveness, she added.

The DoD is working on aligning its policies with national priorities and will undertake a defence review not only of South Africa's capabilities, but also how the defence force could be a catalyst for development.

The aim was to align industry's views with the intended outcomes and thereafter determine how procurement, partnerships and mentoring could help to develop people, skills and enterprises in the defence industry, Motshekga said.

Meanwhile, Armscor has established clear targets for supporting women and youth in defence that are embedded in its processes.

“Procurement and participation in supply chains are how policy is translated into economic opportunity. The procurement power of industry, including that of the State, can be used to include more women and youth,” she said.

South Africa procured 80% of the equipment it used from local manufacturers, and the department aimed to strengthen this. However, the DoD also acknowledged that reduced spending by the State had a broader impact on the defence industry.

“It is important that we strengthen what we have and grow the sector. We are in talks with National Treasury about how we can increase the economic and skills-development support for the defence industry and sustain the jobs we have, hence the lekgotla (meeting) we will hold to look at how we can strengthen the defence industry,” she said.

“Advancing the inclusion of women and youth in the defence industry is not only a development objective, but a strategic investment in the future security, prosperity and resilience of the nation. We need strong capabilities for our national security.”