Date: 19/09/2006
Source: Ministry of Transport
Title: Radebe: Launch of the Ngwane Defence Group
Remarks by Mr Jeff Radebe, Minister of Transport, at the launch of the Ngwane Defence Group, African Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2006, Ysterplaat Airforce Base
The African aerospace and defence events have become well-known as opportunities for the defence and technology industries to showcase niche products, release new products onto the public market and generally celebrate the innovation and engineering expertise that drives the whole sector. As South Africans we are particularly proud of the contributions that our companies make, sometimes with international partners but often on their own.
It is not often that we are able to announce the formation of a local, indigenous and highly motivated defence technology company that has a sound foundation and the wherewithal to engage the local and international markets. When we do, then I believe that commentators and industry should sit up and take notice.
So today we are really proud to witness the public announcement of the Ngwane Defence Group. It is a majority black owned and controlled South African company that brings together a number of South African companies that are either majority black owned or contractually bound to the Ngwane Defence Group. Most appealing, however, is that it brings together long-standing expertise drawn from former commanders of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) including industry experience in the strongest concentration that we have seen to date. This rich experience, drawn from individuals who saw active service in the conflict of the 1980s and played leadership roles in the reconstruction of defence after 1991, provides Ngwane Defence Group with unique depth, because as we know the design and development of military systems must draw on practical operational experience.
Its founders tell us that the Ngwane Defence Group has been established to provide the synergy necessary to focus their expertise and experience at future requirements of the South African defence and security sectors particularly in relation to their core focus on the land systems sector. They aim to do so by actively participating in the development and growth of the South African defence-related industry and contributing to the growth of the engineering and technical skills base in the sector. That will be achieved by continuous market driven research and development, to identify and to meet the needs of the international and local defence and security markets. It aims to increase local manufacturing opportunities in the defence related industry sector and allied sectors of South African industry and to expand co-operation with local and international defence industry companies.
As such, Ngwane now takes its place in a long tradition of a brilliant design and engineering complex that historically produced some of the world's best-known land systems, including the family of high-mobility armoured personnel carriers and the Group of five (G5) and Group of six (G6) artillery systems. The group's main focus areas are in the fields of mine and ballistic protected vehicles, small and medium calibre infantry weapons, soft-skinned all-terrain vehicles and innovative supply chain solutions for defence, security and humanitarian aid clients. Some of their products are on display at AAD2006 and include the latest generation 4x4 armoured personnel carrier and the amphibious armoured personnel carrier with world-leading, flat-bottom mine protection technology. Both products were designed, developed and manufactured in South Africa.
So far, the companies in the group have successfully supplied their products to over 40 countries around the world and will continue to market their products and services internationally. Also, the Ngwane Defence Group has also successfully delivered services and products to both governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the post-conflict and humanitarian aid environments. Earlier this week I addressed the Joint Operations Africa Conference focusing attention on civil transportation assistance to military operations and it is clear to me that vehicles from the Ngwane stable have an obvious multi-purpose role to play across the continent as we strive towards peace, security and development.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure you will join me in congratulating the Ngwane Defence Group, once again the new kid on the South African defence industry block and let them know that we will watch their progress and development with great interest! We wish them well as they forge a new chapter in our country's defence technology industry's evolution.
Issued by: Ministry of Transport
19 September 2006
Source: Ministry of Transport
Title: Radebe: Launch of the Ngwane Defence Group
Remarks by Mr Jeff Radebe, Minister of Transport, at the launch of the Ngwane Defence Group, African Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2006, Ysterplaat Airforce Base
The African aerospace and defence events have become well-known as opportunities for the defence and technology industries to showcase niche products, release new products onto the public market and generally celebrate the innovation and engineering expertise that drives the whole sector. As South Africans we are particularly proud of the contributions that our companies make, sometimes with international partners but often on their own.
It is not often that we are able to announce the formation of a local, indigenous and highly motivated defence technology company that has a sound foundation and the wherewithal to engage the local and international markets. When we do, then I believe that commentators and industry should sit up and take notice.
So today we are really proud to witness the public announcement of the Ngwane Defence Group. It is a majority black owned and controlled South African company that brings together a number of South African companies that are either majority black owned or contractually bound to the Ngwane Defence Group. Most appealing, however, is that it brings together long-standing expertise drawn from former commanders of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) including industry experience in the strongest concentration that we have seen to date. This rich experience, drawn from individuals who saw active service in the conflict of the 1980s and played leadership roles in the reconstruction of defence after 1991, provides Ngwane Defence Group with unique depth, because as we know the design and development of military systems must draw on practical operational experience.
Its founders tell us that the Ngwane Defence Group has been established to provide the synergy necessary to focus their expertise and experience at future requirements of the South African defence and security sectors particularly in relation to their core focus on the land systems sector. They aim to do so by actively participating in the development and growth of the South African defence-related industry and contributing to the growth of the engineering and technical skills base in the sector. That will be achieved by continuous market driven research and development, to identify and to meet the needs of the international and local defence and security markets. It aims to increase local manufacturing opportunities in the defence related industry sector and allied sectors of South African industry and to expand co-operation with local and international defence industry companies.
As such, Ngwane now takes its place in a long tradition of a brilliant design and engineering complex that historically produced some of the world's best-known land systems, including the family of high-mobility armoured personnel carriers and the Group of five (G5) and Group of six (G6) artillery systems. The group's main focus areas are in the fields of mine and ballistic protected vehicles, small and medium calibre infantry weapons, soft-skinned all-terrain vehicles and innovative supply chain solutions for defence, security and humanitarian aid clients. Some of their products are on display at AAD2006 and include the latest generation 4x4 armoured personnel carrier and the amphibious armoured personnel carrier with world-leading, flat-bottom mine protection technology. Both products were designed, developed and manufactured in South Africa.
So far, the companies in the group have successfully supplied their products to over 40 countries around the world and will continue to market their products and services internationally. Also, the Ngwane Defence Group has also successfully delivered services and products to both governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the post-conflict and humanitarian aid environments. Earlier this week I addressed the Joint Operations Africa Conference focusing attention on civil transportation assistance to military operations and it is clear to me that vehicles from the Ngwane stable have an obvious multi-purpose role to play across the continent as we strive towards peace, security and development.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure you will join me in congratulating the Ngwane Defence Group, once again the new kid on the South African defence industry block and let them know that we will watch their progress and development with great interest! We wish them well as they forge a new chapter in our country's defence technology industry's evolution.
Issued by: Ministry of Transport
19 September 2006
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