Home » 8 Tragically Killed in Explosion at South African Munitions Depot

8 Tragically Killed in Explosion at South African Munitions Depot

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – At least eight people were killed in an explosion at a South African munitions depot in Somerset West, near Cape Town, but the cause of the blast was still unknown, a fire and rescue official said on Monday. The blast occurred at Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) depot, a joint venture between Germany’s […]

By SAPeople
31-07-19 13:39
in Eish!

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – At least eight people were killed in an explosion at a South African munitions depot in Somerset West, near Cape Town, but the cause of the blast was still unknown, a fire and rescue official said on Monday.

The blast occurred at Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) depot, a joint venture between Germany’s Rheinmetall Defence and South Africa’s state-owned arms maker Denel.

“I can confirm that eight people are dead,” said Theo Layne, Cape Town fire and rescue spokesperson.

The cause of the blast was not known, he said.

Police could not be reached to comment.

RDM said in a statement that an explosion occurred at one of its buildings, but it could not confirm whether there were any injuries or fatalities.

“We are currently investigating the matter,” it said.

RDM manufactures and supplies selected munitions and explosive related products for armed and police forces in South Africa and around the world.

Rheinmetall holds a 51 percent stake and Denel has a 49 percent shareholding.

(Reporting by James Macharia and Tiisetso Motsoeneng, editing by Ed Osmond)

On the scene reports from Velani Ludidi:

PLEASE NOTE: The above images and videos come from Velani Ludidi, a final year journalism student who has been invited to the University of Sussex in the UK to an international workshop titled Decolonial Transformation, Imagining, Practicing, Colloboration which will take place on 31 Oct. He is looking for funding to travel to the UK…