FEATURE
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Denel Dynamics
Interview with Mahlatse Machete
a graduate trainee at Denel Dynamics
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enel Dynamics is a high technology company involved in the design, development, production and support of advanced weapon systems such as missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles for local and overseas clients. The African Scholar had a chance to interview Mahlatse Machete who is employed as an intern through the Denel Dynamics’ graduate programme.
Which course did you study, and how did it aid as an advantage for you to get into the Denel Dynamics’ graduate programme? I studied Mechanical Engineering at The University of the Witwatersrand, commonly known as Wits University. (I did a BSc Engineering Degree.) For me getting into Denel was a little bit different from others because I was awarded a bursary with Denel Dynamics when I was going into my 2nd year of study at Wits University. From there, at the end of the year during the December/January holidays, I would come and do holiday work at Denel. As I worked in different departments every year, it gave me an idea of what the company was about and it also helped me in deciding which department I would like to work in when I became an intern. Though the bursary comes with a work obligation clause, employment is not guaranteed, so like everyone else, I went for a job interview and as they say, the rest is history. Denel Dynamics has a demand for mechanical engineers so with me being a mechanical engineering student; it helped me in
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getting a bursary and also being part of the graduate programme. Denel Dynamics’ CEO Tsepo Monaheng says that the “machine that drives an organisation is its people” and that the workforce must be inspired. “Unless we
ensure we maintain incoming technical skills, we will be doing an injustice to the company, for that company will fail.”
What have you enjoyed most about working for Denel Dynamics and