About Us

Socio-Economic Development

Denel Aeronautics’ Corporate Social Investment (CSI) is aimed at facilitating and creating platforms to contribute to community-building by delivering on the Denel Group’s mandate towards social upliftment and building a sustainable economy.

Denel Aeronautics CSI projects are aimed at addressing social and economic disparities and responding to government’s developmental priorities within the communities that we operate in. Programmes are implemented within the following focus areas – education; entrepreneurship as well as community development.

Below is breakdown of the key initiatives:

Schools Outreach Programme

Denel Aeronautics is involved in youth development through the Super Flyer School Outreach Programmes. This initiative aims to promote careers in aviation and aerospace amongst learners from previously disadvantaged communities. Denel Aeronautics hosts career days at the national airshows such as Zwartkops Airshow, Rand Airshow and the Newcastle Airshow. Denel Aeronautics also participates in other career exhibitions countrywide and is one of the sponsors of the Africa Aerospace and Defence Youth Development Programme.

Over a thousand learners from nearby communities attend these events where they are afforded an opportunity to experience a showcase of our products and services, as well as a career talk by our engineers. Through this type of outreach, Denel Aeronautics hopes to instil a passion in our youth for the aerospace and aviation industry.

Many learners are not aware of the world that awaits them if they pursue a career in aviation and Denel Aeronautics is helping them discover the magic of flight and also experience the aeronautics industry first hand by inviting and hosting them at air shows throughout the country. The air shows offer learners an opportunity to interact with Denel Aeronautics employees though a formal career session and they are also able to enjoy the aerobatic displays and in some cases they also get an opportunity to fly.

Supporting Education

Denel Aeronautics is involved in the upgrading of mathematics and science performance results in the country, offering extra lessons in maths and science to learners from the Etwatwa Secondary School on Saturdays and over school holidays. Over a 100 learners in grades 11 and 12 are benefiting from this programme.

South African Air Force Benevolent Fund

As a caring partner in the Defence and Aerospace industry, Denel Aeronautics provides financial support to the South African Force Benevolent Fund on an annual basis. The Fund provides financial support to SAAF related development, transformation and benevolent causes which cannot be funded through State funding. More than 50% of the Fund’s expenditure goes towards benevolent work, either internally within the South African Air Force or externally by supporting organisations such as children’s homes and hospices in the vicinity of Air Force Bases and units.

Mandela Day

Annually, Denel Aeronautics commemorates this day to honour the legacy of the late Nelson Mandela, the former South African President, and his values, through volunteering and community service.

Enterprise Development

At Denel Aeronautics, we believe that supporting entrepreneurs and small/medium businesses, plays a major role in building and ensuring a sustainable economy for our country. Denel Aeronautics focus of preferential procurement is to increase expenditure on black-owned, black women-owned and black youth-owned businesses. Our enterprise and supplier development action plan is to improve black owned businesses in order to participate not only in the South African market, but also in the global industry.

Denel Aeronautics’ Aerostructure Manufacturing as a tier 1 industry operator prides itself as an advanced manufacturing catalyst in supporting and training local suppliers to meet international standards in an economically sustainable manner.