Ammo testing starts at Denel

Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) had advised that ammunition testing would resume at its Somerset West site yesterday, a week after an explosion at the plant killed eight people.

RDM chief executive Norbert Schulze said it was important to inform the community that testing would be resuming. “The community may hear some noise resulting from the munition testing which will be carried out on our dedicated testing site and I want them to know that these sounds are normal and that they should not be alarmed.”

Schulze said RDM understood that the community was still traumatised after the deadly blast and wanted to make every effort to be sensitive to heightened fears.

He said: “We are all still mourning a great loss to our community and need to support each other during this time, so as a company we are making extra efforts to be inclusive with the community.”

Schulze noted that they would continue their series of updates to the community and to the media, but that they can only release the names of the deceased once the identification process had been concluded and after consultation with the families affected.