Defence industry sector charter approved

Stakeholders in the country’s defence industry adopted the Defence Sector Charter, which is intended to promote black economic empowerment in the sector, on Tuesday. The decision was taken at a stakeholder consultation session, which was attended by industry experts, suppliers, trade union representatives, representatives of military veterans, and officials from the Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DDMV), defence acquisition and disposals agency Armscor and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The next steps will the presentation of the charter to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and to the National Defence Industry Council. The Minister will then forward it to the Minister of Trade and Industry; thereafter the DTI will publish it for 60 days for further public comment, after which it will be gazetted as the Defence Sector Code.