Denel on Tuesday unequivocally rejected claims by the South African branch of Economists Allied for Arms Reduction (ECAAR-SA) that South Africa manufactures and exports anti-personnel mines.
During public hearings on the Anti-Personnel Mines Prohibition Bill on Tuesday ECAAR-SA chairman Terry Crawford-Brown told the National Assembly’s defence committee Denel was manufacturing the ”devices” under license from British company PW Defence at its Swartklip plant near Cape Town, and exporting them.
In his written presentation, he said a report in Janes’ Defence Weekly on May 22 noted that PW Defence was being investigated in England for manufacturing a device in contravention of the Landmines Act, the British legislation that gave effect to the Ottawa Convention on landmines.
”The product in question is the E105 fragmentation hand grenade, offered with an E190 tripwire activation device for perimeter defence.” However, PW Defence has denied the charges in Janes’ Defence Weekly, and declared that the grenade was taken off its product
list in 1997. Crawford-Brown quoted an October 12, 2000 ”announcement” by Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe ”that Pains Wessex Defence (PW Defence) had taken an equity interest in Denel’s Swartklip division. It is understood to be 15 or 20%”.
”An inquiry from British activists has however, led to confirmation that PW Defence has licensed Swartklip to manufacture these devices, and that Swartklip is now exporting them via Durban to countries including Italy and Malaysia.
”They are apparently also trucked to Johannesburg, from where they are presumably exported to countries such as Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo,” Crawford-Brown said.
Denel Corporate Affairs Director Thembi Tulwana said on Tuesday ECAAR-SA’s presentation ”contains significant errors of fact”.
While Radebe’s October 12, 2000 announcement espoused government’s support of PW Defence as a preferred equity partner for Denel Swartklip, it also ”elucidated that negotiations would ensue to manage technical and other critical aspects of the proposed partnership”.
”These negotiations would ensure that government’s mandate is honoured and its integrity upheld. ”Therefore, it is prudent to inform you that the proposed equity transaction announced on October 12, 2000 between Denel and PW Defence fell through, and therefore never concluded, due to PW Defence’s withdrawal,” Tulwana said.
”None of Denel’s divisions, including Swartklip products, has been licensed or contracted to manufacture hand grenades for PW Defence.
”Denel has not exported explosive hand grenades to Italy and Malaysia. It should be underscored that Denel is not exporting hand grenades to countries such as Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
”Denel’s exports of military equipment are regulated within the framework of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) approvals, and the company strictly adheres to the South African government’s armaments export policies.
”As South Africa is a signatory to international treaties in this regard, Denel respects and upholds that principle,” Tulwana said.
Crawford-Brown also accused Denel of having ”complete disregard” for the health and welfare of employees. According to trade unionists, Swartklip employees ”don’t live very long”, he said.
Many had lost their hands, legs, eyesight, hearing, mental faculties, and many developed heart disease, arthritis and cancers. They were discharged with compensation of R1 000, and told to take responsibility for their own medical expenses.
”People at both Swartklip and Somchem are intimidated by Denel to remain silent,” he said.
At Tuesday’s hearings, Crawford-Brown was accompanied by a number of former Swartklip employees who told how they had, among other things, contracted tuberculosis or lost their eyesight through driving lorries transporting explosives.
Committee chair Thandi Modise said the committee took note and would ”interact” with Denel in this regard. Tulwana told Sapa Denel had in place all safety, health and environmental policies normally associated with manufacturing industries.
”Its safety and health standards are underscored by the five-star Noscar ratings (National Occupational Health Association) found at the divisions,” Tulwana said. – Sapa