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News24 reports that the families of eight employees who died in a 2018 blast at the Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) factory in Somerset West in the Western Cape want the government to suspend the company's explosives licence.
They have threatened to take legal action against the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) if that is not done. Meanwhile, authorities are probing the cause of another explosion that occurred at the plant on Sunday night. No casualties were reported in the latest blast and the ensuing fire was contained to the N86 magazine building. Last week, attorneys representing the families of workers who died in the 2018 blast sent a letter to the DEL to demand that the site's licence be reviewed, and the suspension of explosives licences issued to RDM. The letter claimed that the distance of the blenders on the site were not adequate to stop an explosion from damaging concrete walls. "The concrete walls are also too thin to shield employees from fragments should an explosion occur again," it maintained. The law firm said that should the DEL fail to suspend the licences, it will be reported to the SA Human Rights Commission. The firm said it would also ask the Office of the Public Protector to investigate alleged maladministration and misconduct in the awarding of explosives licences to RDM. On Friday, members of union federation Cosatu protested outside the factory, joining the call for the suspension of the explosives licences. Earlier this month, the second phase of the public inquiry into the 2018 blast wrapped up. A new date for the next round of hearings will still be announced.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Marvin Charles at News24 (subscriber access only)
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