In his first interaction with clients and personnel, new Armscor chief executive Advocate Solomzi Mbada has it that “self-sustainability is the way to go”.
This, he says in his first foreword to an Armscor newsletter, is as a result of the continued decline in budget allocations.
“It becomes important we relook our business model and where possible tap into new markets to diversify our offerings. Diversifying is underpinned in our strategy ‘On-Time; In-Time: Towards a Sustainable Future’. The strategy clearly indicates we need to focus on commercialisation and extend our services to a wider client base. We have the potential, expertise and capability to adapt to new environments. These are the dialogues we need to have in our meetings.
“Thinking should change,” he notes, stating “Instead of individuals asking what Armscor can do for them, they should ask what they can do for Armscor,” paraphrasing former US president John F Kennedy.
“Armscor will continue working closely with the South African defence industry (SADI) and the Department of Defence (DoD) to address challenges facing the industry. We believe we can work together to turn them into opportunities and secure the future of the defence industry.
“Strategic partnerships are key to survival in these tough economic times and Armscor is raising its hand to engage in meaningful conversations.”
Mbada also notes the resignation of Ambassador Thuthukile Skweyiya as Armscor board chair due to “health reasons” and the appointment of former co-chair of Parliament’s joint and standing committees on defence and military veterans as acting chair.
“I have no doubt in Stanley Motimele’s ability to move Armscor forward. This is a critical time for the defence industry and we need to re-align strategic and take tough decisions to remain relevant,” he said.
