Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) may face criminal prosecution over the September 2018 explosion at its Somerset West facility that claimed eight lives.
The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) subsequently launched an investigation into the explosion, and this was completed several months ago. However, it will not be a public document but its outcomes will be shared with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the DEL’s chief inspector.
The DEL ran an investigation into the explosion alongside an internal RDM one with 26 witnesses testifying at the government department’s investigation. They included technical experts, former employers, current staff and numerous investigators.
The Cape Times last week said that the report was delayed after it slipped its July 2022 deadline, and was finalised in August last year. The publication saw a copy of the report, which details several occupational health and safety contraventions, but it’s not clear if this is the final version of the report.
Some of the findings the Cape Times reported include the “failure to conduct the risk assessment when installing a new iris valve which is deemed as the modification by the employer”, leading to inquiry chairperson, Mphumzi Dyulete, recommending criminal prosecution.
“The incident was caused by an act of omission of criminal nature on the part of Rheinmetall Denel Munition (Pty) Ltd, as represented by Norbert Schultze the chief executive officer at the time of the incident,” Dyulete stated.
The report will be evaluated and processed before further action is taken, the Cape Times reported.
Responding to queries on the 2018 explosion report, RDM last week said it welcomed the news that the report has been finalised. “It has been more than four years since the incident occurred and our priority has always been to help the families find answers and closure. RDM has cooperated fully with all legal and statutory processes since the incident- and continues to do so.”
The company added that it is “aware that the Section 32 inquiry report has been finalized by the Department of Labour but at this stage, the report and the contents thereof has not been shared with RDM. Once we have received the copy we will review the contents thereof – we are therefore unable to comment at this stage.”
“It has been a long and painful process for the families of those lost in 2018, and as we have done throughout this process, we will continue to provide counselling and support services as required,” RDM concluded.
