Local defence industrial group Denel regards the its most important mandate as being the retention of key defence industrial and technological capabilities in the country. "The most critical one [mandate] is the maintenance and support of sovereign strategic industrial capabilities," Denel Group CEO Riaz Saloojee told the media at a briefing on Thursday.

"We've been designated by the [2014] Defence Review to be the custodian of these strategic capabilities," he pointed out. "The strategic intent is very clear." Denel gives the South African government independence in wide areas of defence technology and production.

The Defence Review highlighted command and control (C2) and maritime technologies as particular sectors for which the company should be the custodian. To this end, the group had recently set up its Denel Integrated Systems and Maritime division.

"The company [Denel] is [also] in the process of obtaining a major stake in a respected C2 business," reported Denel board chairperson Martie Janse van Rensburg at the same briefing. Saloojee explained that the intent was to bring South African intellectual property in C2 back under the control of a State-owned company.

Denel also seeks to contribute to the country's national development objectives. "We'd like to think we're beginning to significantly contribute to this," he said. "This is a source of immense pride," affirmed Janse van Rensburg.

The group is contributing to the development of skills. It sponsors some 100 engineers every year, of whom about 30 are taken into the company. It invests about R500-million a year into research and development. Its capabilities are being used to assist and support agencies in other government departments, such as Border Management and the South African National Parks (better known as SANParks), including in the combatting of poaching. It also wants to be involved in sectors such as law enforcement, maritime protection and disaster management, especially with regard to C2.

Furthermore, the company supports government policy in Africa, including peacekeeping, stabilisation and so on. "Denel is good for South Africa," affirmed Saloojee.