Acting Denel Group CEO Zwelakhe Ntshepe has assured that the State-owned defence industrial group will not be changing its strategy. He was giving the opening address at the group's 2015 Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Conference in Pretoria on Thursday.

Late last month, Denel Group CEO Riaz Saloojee, Group CFO Fikile Mhlontlo and Group company secretary Elizabeth Africa were placed on special leave by the newly appointed board (installed in July). The board is reportedly investigating several issues, including recent business acquisitions by the group.

"Denel – the direction and the course will not change," affirmed Ntshepe. "I repeat, the direction and the course will not change."

Regarding the conference, he observed that "[w]e organised this conference for the sake of getting the [South African defence] industry together. The defence industry globally is under the microscope because of the changing nature of warfare. ... We trust this conference will lead to a rejuvenation of the South African defence and high-tech sectors."

This was Denel's second such conference, the first having been held in 2014. That had been a great success. "Our decision to repeat the conference was based on very positive feedback from the stakeholders and participants [in the first conference]," he reported, adding that he hoped it would lead to the development of new relationships, partnerships and business.