The South African defense industry exported R3.3 billion (US$205 millions) worth of weapons, ammunition and military equipment to 67 countries around the world last year, according to the latest figures from the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC).
Briefing Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) on Thursday, NCACC chair Mondli Gungubele revealed that in 2021, 574 export permits to 67 countries were authorised, worth R3.35 billion.
According to the latest NCACC annual report, one of the largest single exports in 2021 was for ‘warships’ – four unspecified vessels worth R208 million went to Djibouti. The East African nation also acquired R100 million worth of unspecified ‘weapons’.
Another notable export was worth R79 million, for nine aircraft that went to the United States – these are almost certainly ex-SAAF Cheetahs sold by Denel. On the aviation side, three unmanned aerial vehicles worth R600 000 went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while three helicopters (most likely second hand Gazelles and Mi-17s) went to Mozambique (R6 million).