Denel, the state-owned arms manufacturer whose primary mission is to supply arms to the country's armed forces, has only been able to satisfactorily meet 53% of the prime mission equipment orders from the South African National Defence Force during the past year, said its chief of staff, General Michael Mantswana.
More than R10 billion in orders is still outstanding. These are mainly orders for maintenance and support as well as for spares for the military hardware the SANDF relies on for its operations. Denel Land Systems, which produces land-based infantry weapons systems such as the Rooikat armoured fighting vehicle, is the biggest culprit with an outstanding R8.8 billion in orders. This came from R16 billion worth of orders the entity received from the SANDF.
Kobus Marais, a DA member of the committee, said only six of the Air Force's 36 Oryx helicopters in service with the SANDF, were serviceable and operational. Last year there were 17 Oryx helicopters operational, said Marais.