The Department of Employment and Labour’s public commission of inquiry into the fatal 2018 explosion heard evidence on the company’s overtime payment system from Rheinmetall Denel Munitions’ former safety committee chairperson Louis Minnaar.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Department of Employment and Labour’s public commission of inquiry into the explosion, family members accused RDM of dodging responsibility for what happened.
Five Denel explosion victims were still in training
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Cape Town – Employee competency came under the spotlight at day two of the Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) public inquiry yesterday, with an officer testifying that some of those who died still required relevant training.
The evidence was given by training officer, Mcebisi Ngqaqu, who has 21 years of experience working for RDM.
He testified that of the eight employees who died, five still had red arm bands, which were for employees who still required training.
Following the testimony, the families’ representative, Winston Erasmus, then asked why were the “incompetent” employees were “allowed to work with explosives and not given something safer”.
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Reuters
Day one of the public inquiry into the 2018 blast at the Rheinmetall Denel munitions plant, which killed eight people, started on Monday
The inquiry, spearheaded by the Department of Labour, follows mounting pressure from the victims
families.
Testimony from a former worker at the plant revealed there was an urgency to mix explosive products on the day of the incident.
More questions than answers have surfaced surrounding the 2018 blast at the Rheinmetall Denel munitions plant in Somerset West in the Western Cape, which killed eight people.
The first day of the public inquiry heard testimony from a former worker who revealed there was an urgency to mix explosive products, and staff members had to work overtime.