Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) entrance.
Marvin Charles/News24
- The Director for Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape has decided not to criminally prosecute anyone for the deadly 2018 explosion at the Rheinmetall Denel Munition factory in Somerset West.
- It informed the families of the eight victims that were killed in the blast.
- This after the Department of Employment and Labour recommended criminal prosecution.
The Director for Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Western Cape has decided not to criminally prosecute anyone for the deadly 2018 explosion at the Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) factory in Somerset West.
In a letter sent to the legal representative of the families of the eight people who were killed in the blast, Western Cape DPP head, advocate Nicolette Bell, said the representations received were carefully considered.
“After a consideration of your representations, representations received from Messrs Webber Wentzel on behalf of the employer and the available evidence contained in the docket, I have decided not to institute any prosecution in the matter,” she added in the letter.
RDM specialises in developing, designing and manufacturing large- and medium-calibre ammunition.
The Department of Employment and Labour established a Section 32 inquiry in May 2021 to probe the blast, which occurred in September 2018.
Twenty-six witnesses, including technical experts, former employers and current staff and investigators, testified during the inquiry.
In its report, the inquiry detailed several contraventions, including a “failure to conduct the risk assessment when installing a new iris valve, which is deemed as the modification by the employer.”
Inquiry chairperson Mphumzi Dyulete recommended criminal prosecution, saying: “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”.
During the inquiry, witnesses testified about structural shortcomings, defective designs, as well as unnecessary overtime, even when there were no large orders.
The witnesses revealed that the necessary risk assessment was not carried out for key plant fittings.