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‘Denel must take responsibility’

Workers outside the plant
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Residents of Macasser outside Cape Town say management at the Rheinmetall Denel Munition plant must take full responsibility for Monday night’s explosion which claimed eight lives.

A community meeting was held in the area Tuesday night to show support for the victims and their families.

Residents say five of the victims are from the area. Godfrey Africa a local resident says they want answers.

“We have had several incidents where the people’s lives have been lost over the past four decades. They would have learnt that the safety of workers specifically is going to be critical over the four decades. We believe that they can’t say that being an international company they haven’t put safety measures in place that could have avoided this type of incident.”

Meanwhile, Victor Issacs a local councillor has appealed for calm.

“The purpose of the meeting was just from the management from Rheinmetall Denel Munition to come and speak to the community and just to give them some information of what actually happened and how they will assist the bereaved. Unfortunately they withdrew in the last minute.”

The explosion occurred in a building used for mixing propellants for artillery charges. It destroyed the entire building and immediate surrounding blast walls.

The plant’s management says the final death toll is still unknown and government has described the explosion as a national tragedy.

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