Denel host combat games played in true military environment

Paintball warriors will be able to crawl through helicopter hulls and take cover behind abandoned tanks while navigating the battlefield in the first ever Denel Combat Tournament. 

“This will be the first time that decommissioned military vehicles and aircraft will be utilised to simulate battle ground conditions adding new dimensions to the sport of paintball,” said Vuyelwa Qinga, the group head, corporate communications and public affairs for Denel. 

The two-day tournament will also create greater awareness about the products that have been designed and manufactured by Denel and used by the South African National Defence Force to protect the country’s citizens and territorial integrity. “Participants will be able to experience Denel in a fun and interactive way,” said Qinga. 

On Friday – August 21 – teams representing top names in the defence industry such as Truvelo, Selex, Thales, GAC Laser, Aselsan, Redeployable Camp Systems SA and Armscor will put their skills against divisions in the Denel Group and SANDF units for a day-long tournament. 

A section of the Denel Land Systems Campus in Lyttelton has been turned into a paintball battlefield with the decommissioned armoury used as obstacles and strategic hideouts. 

On Saturday, members of the public, from paintball die-hards to novices, will engage in combat at the same venue. The focus is on fun and battlefield strategy but it will enable people to get a closer look at some of Denel’s products and understand its business and be informed about the contribution that Denel makes to the South African high-tech manufacturing industry.