defenceWeb Written by Guy Martin - 1179 In a presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises today on its annual financial results for 2019/20, Denel revealed that it had lost nearly 500 employees over the last year. The presentation by Interim Group CEO William Hlakoane showed Denelâs workforce shrinking â as of 1 April 2020, Denel employed 3 332 people but this had dropped to 2 837 by 31 January 2021 (2 617 permanent staff, 162 students and 58 contractors). Between April 2020 and January 2021, 498 people left the company, including 73 managers, 99 engineers/project managers, and 249 technicians/artisans/operators. Reasons given for leaving included better salary/benefits (60 people), better career opportunities (77), forced retrenchment (119), early retirement (28), retirement (59), and contract termination (61).