Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin on Monday announced the board of directors to manage Denel, the state-owned arms manufacture, the department said in a statement.

Spokeswoman Gaynor Kast said Erwin believed the board -- retaining chairman Sandile Zungu, who has held the position since 2001 -- had a good combination of experience and skill.

An engineering and MBA graduate from the University of Cape Town, Zungu also completed a global leadership programme at the Harvard Business School and holds directorships in investment companies and consortiums including Africa Vanguard Holdings.

Sibusiso Sibisi has also been reappointed into the board as non-executive director. Currently chief executive of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research he has served on the board since 1998.

Ian Phillips, the special advisor to Transport Minister Jeff Radebe --having previously served in the same position while Radebe was in charge of public enterprises -- has been reappointed to the board. He has also served on Denel's board from 1998.

Former Saab chief executive, Bengt Halse, a Swedish national who has held various positions in the telecommunications sector, has been appointed to the board as non-executive director.

Another non-executive director appointed to the board is Nku Nyembezi-Heita, chief executive of Alliance Capital.

Lorato Phalatse, the deputy director-general in President Thabo Mbeki's office, joins the board as non-executive director.

Also joining the board in the same capacity as Phalatse and Nyembezi-Heita is Chantyl Mulder, a senior executive responsible for transformation in the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Oxford graduate and chartered financial analyst, Raymond Cadiz -- who has held senior positions at the Rand Merchant Bank and Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank -- was appointed non-executive director.

Denel chief executive Victor Moche and executive director Pottie Potgieter, who has served in the board since 1997, completes the ten-member team. Moche joined the board in 2003 after he was appointed chief executive.

With ackowledgement to Sapa.