Benin puchases ten Casspir 2000 4x4 mine protected vehicle from South African Company Mechem 1002133

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Defence News - Benin
 
 
Sunday, February 10, 2013, 05:42 PM
 
Benin purchases ten Casspir 2000 4x4 mine protected vehicle from South African Company Mechem.
Benin purchases ten CASSPIR 2000 4x4 mine protected vehicle from the South African Company Mechem which is now a subdividion of Denel, the largest manufacturer of defence equipment in South Africa. Mechem is expecting new orders for the CASSPIR 2000 in the next financial year (starting April 1), according to Stephan Burger, CEO of Denel Land Systems (which merged with Mechem last year).
     

Casspir 2000 at AAD 2012, defence exhibition in Pretoria, South Africa.
     

The Casspir 2000 is the latest variant of the world renowned armoured vehicle. Burger said the CASSPIR 2000 emerged from the shortage of old CASSPIR Mk 1 and 2’s available for refurbishment.

Mechem specialises in mine clearing, removing the explosive remnants of war (ERW), manufacturing mine protected vehicles (notably the CASSPIR Mk II, Mk IV and New Generation CASSPIR 2000) and mine clearing equipment, and providing canine training and services (for explosives and drug detection). Through its Afrifoot programme, it manufactures and supplies low-cost leg prosthesis to landmine survivors.

The company has recently completed various demining or mine clearing projects in Afghanistan, Republic of Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Mozambique. Mechem is active in eleven African countries, including the DRC, where it has supported UN peacekeeping activities since 2003, Western Sahara and Somalia, where it works with the African Union.

Mechem is the only African-based company accredited by the UN for landmine clearance, as the rest are based abroad. Since it started African operations in 1992, the company has not lost a single employee to a landmine incident.