Solidarity welcomes resignation of Denel’s chairperson and calls for meaningful reform

Solidarity welcomes the announcement of the resignation of Denel’s board chairperson, Gloria Serobe. As a result of her resignation, the board’s term has also ended. The announcement was made today by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, during a meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence. The resignation follows a meeting held on 18 June between Solidarity, other recognised trade unions, and Denel leadership. During the meeting, Solidarity strongly criticised Denel’s continued failure to turn the company around, called for the chairperson’s resignation and emphasised that it is time for a new board to be appointed. “For too long, workers have paid the price for Denel’s institutional failure – its inability to pay salaries and implement increases, all while claiming to have turned a corner. Denel needs more than stability; it needs execution,” said Derek Mans, network coordinator for Solidarity’s aviation and defence sector. Solidarity views the resignation of the board chairperson as an opportunity for meaningful reform. As the union made clear in its Denel dossier, released as far back as April 2018, years of mismanagement and state capture have hollowed out the organisation’s capabilities. The recent SIU findings, as welcomed by Solidarity in January, confirmed the extent of this devastation and underscored the urgent need for ethical and competent leadership at Denel. With key contracts such as Project Hoefyster in collapse and South African soldiers deployed in conflict zones  without adequate equipment, the consequences of inaction are growing more severe by the day. “This resignation is hopefully more than symbolic – it must signal the beginning of real, focused change. Denel’s future cannot rest in the hands of appointees lacking industry knowledge or urgency. It needs a board that can deliver,” said Mans. Solidarity is now calling for the appointment of a strong, reconstituted Denel board that embodies ethical leadership, possesses a deep and practical understanding of the defence industry, and demonstrates a clear commitment to advancing public-private partnerships in support of Denel’s turnaround.