Cape Town - While the final report from the inquiry into the explosion which killed eight Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) employees is still outstanding, the affected families commemorated the lives of their loved ones at the weekend.
The Department of Labour, which conducted the inquiry into the 2018 blast, passed its deadline for the completion of report, which it said would be finished by June this year.
To date, no details have been provided as to the reason for the delay. On Saturday, families, employees, management and Macassar community residents gathered at RDM for the fourth memorial for the eight employees.
A memorial wall was erected and unveiled at RDM on Saturday to commemorate the lives of Mxolisi Sigadla, 40, Triston Davids, 22, Thandolwethu Mankayi, 27, Nico Samuels, 41, Jamie Haydricks, 24, Bradley Tandy, 19, Stevon Isaacs, 51, and 22-year-old Jason Hartzenberg.
Ward councillor Rhoda Bazier said: “We have engaged with the company; the families will on Monday (today) lay a wreath where the actual explosion took place. This will be the first time something like this will happen in the four years.”
Enquiries to the Labour Department went answered on Sunday.
Twenty-six witnesses have given evidence before the commission of inquiry.
The department was expected to have completed its report on the Section 32 inquiry to investigate possible violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, inquiry chairperson Mphumzi Dyulete had said.
A number of discrepancies were central to the probe into the reason for the explosion, which included the replacement of a butterfly valve to an iris mucon valve at the N16 plant having not been compliant.
Additionally, (there was) confirmation that risk assessment processes had been amiss at the time of the explosion and witness testimony that despite staff having had to work overtime the N16 plant was not under pressure for production.
Cape Times