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Energy in South Africa, 1910-1993: Government Resources: Library Guide: Nuclear energy

A guide to Government sources of information in the Government Publications Department, covering the period from the Union to the end of apartheid.

Reports

South Africa. Commission of Inquiry into the Application of Nuclear Power in South Africa.   Report of the Commission of Enquiry into the Application of Nuclear Power in South Africa.    Pretoria :   Government Printer,   [1960] G 68 ERP 23/1961

Atomic Energy Board (South Africa)    Report on the investigation into the possible introduction of nuclear power in the Republic of South Africa.   Pelindaba :   The Board,   1968. G 68 E.PLAN.68.REPO

Newby-Fraser, A. R. Chain Reaction : Twenty Years of Nuclear Research and Development in South Africa  Pretoria: Atomic Energy Board, 1979. Shelf no. G 68 E.ENER.79.CHAI

 

 

United States Government documents

George Washington University. National Security Archive. U.S.  Intelligence and the South African Bomb "

"The U.S. Intelligence Community failed to penetrate the veil of secrecy surrounding the nuclear activities of South Africa's apartheid regime, particularly its nuclear weapons program, according to documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and archival research and posted on the Web today by the National Security Archive at George Washington University.

Included in the Archive posting are over thirty documents -- many originally classified Top Secret/Codeword -- produced by interagency groups, the CIA, and the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR)."

Treaties

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Signed 16 September 1991.

South Africa.    Agreement of co-operation between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Republic of France regarding the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station units I and II :   place and date of signature: Pretoria, 15 October 1976 : date of entry into force: 29 October 1976.    [Pretoria] :   [Govt. Printer],   1986. G 68 ETS 23/1986

South Africa.    Amendment to Agreement for co-operation between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America concerning the civil uses of atomic energy, dated 8 July 1957.    Pretoria :   Government Printer,   1986. G 68 ETS 21/1986 United Nations Treaty series No. 4324 Amendment

South Africa.    Wysiging van die Ooreenkoms tot samewerking tussen die Regering van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Regering van die Verenigde State van Amerika betreffende die Burgerlike gebruike van Atoomkrag van 8 Julie 1957 =   Amendment to the Agreement for co-operation between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America concerning the civil uses of Atomic Energy of 8 July 1957.    Pretoria :   Government Printer,   1967.
G 68 ETS 8/1967 United Nations Treaty Series No. 4234 Amendment.

South Africa.    Agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America for the application of safeguards=   Ooreenkoms tussen die Internasionale Atoomkragagentskap, die Regering van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Regering van die Verenigde State van Amerika betreffende die toepassing van beveiligingsmaatreëls.    Pretoria :   Government Printer,   [1967] G 68 ETS 7/1967 United Nations Treaty series No. 8872

South Africa.    Agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America for the application of safeguards=   Ooreenkoms tussen die Internasionale Atoomkragagentskap, die Regering van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Regering van die Verenigde State van Amerika betreffende die toepassing van beveiligingsmaatreëls.    Pretoria :   Government Printer,   [1965] G 68 ETS 1/1965 United Nations Treaty series No. 8119

South Africa.    Wysiging van Ooreenkoms tot Samewerking tussen die Regering van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Regering van die Verenigde State van Amerika aangaande die burgerlike gebruike van atoomkrag=   Amendment to Agreement for Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America concerning civil uses of atomic energy.    Pretoria :   Staatsdrukker,   [1962] G 68 ETS 5/1962 United States Treaty series No. 4234 Amendment, page 328.

South Africa.    Ooreenkoms tussen die Regering van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Regering van Japan om bronmateriaal wat van Suid-Afrika na Japan oorgedra word onder die Beveiligingsmaatreëls van die Internationale Atoomkragagentskap te plaas=   Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of Japan to place source material transferred from South Africa to Japan under the Safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.    Pretoria :   Staatsdrukker   [1962] G 68 ETS 4/1962 

South Africa.    Agreement for cooperation between the Government of the Union of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America concerning the civil uses of atomic energy=   Ooreenkoms tot samewerking tussen die regering van die Unie van Suid-Afrika en die regering van die Verenigde State van Amerika aangaande die burgerlike gebruike van atoomkrag.    Pretoria :   Government Printer,   [1957] G 68 ETS 8/1957 United Nations Treaty series No. 4234.

South Africa.    Agreement between the Government of the Union of South Africa and the Government of the United States of America that all forms of Mutual Aid, provided by either Government to the other, should be financed by cash payments as from the 15th February, 1944 =   Ooreenkoms tussen die Regering van die Unie van Suid-Afrika en die Regering van die Verenigde State van Amerika dat alle vorme van Onderlinge Hulp, wat deur die een Regering aan die ander verleen word, vanaf 15 Februarie 1944, deur kontantbetalings gefinansier behoort te word.    Pretoria :   Government Printer,   [1945.] G 68 ETS 3/1945 United Nations Treaty series No. 264, page 268.

 

 

 

Legislation

Atomic Energy Act 35 of 1948, with Amendments.

Atomic Energy Act 90 of 1967, with Amendments.

Nuclear Installations (Licensing and Security) Act 43 of 1963, with Amendments.

Atomic Energy and Nuclear Installations (Licensing and Security) Amendment Act 39 of 1965.

Nuclear Energy Act 92 of 1982, with Amendments.

Nuclear Energy Act 131 of 1993.

Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Act 87 of 1993.

Available in print or online. Please ask for assistance.  You may also consult the Debates in Parliament on the bills (the draft acts.)

International Treaties

South Africa acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on 10 July 1991 in Washington.

International Atomic Energy Agency documents

International Atomic Energy Agency. General Conference, 37th regular session, 9 September 1993. The denuclearization of Africa (GC(XXXVI)/RES/577) : report of the Director-General.

United Nations. General Assembly. Report of the Group of Experts on South Africa's Plan and Capability in the Nuclear Field. 9 September 1980 (A/35/402)

Von Baeckmann, Adolf, Garry Dillon, and Demetrius Perricos. Nuclear verification in South Africa. IAEA Bulletin, 1/1995.

United Nations documents

Haslam, David. The financing of South Africa's nuclear programme. New York. UN Centre against Apartheid, 1981. (No. 17/81)

Reports in the National Library

De Jesus, A. S. M. Transfer of industry-oriented nuclear technology at NUCOR. Pretoria : NUCOR, 1983. 

Nuclear Development Corporation of South Africa. Uranium in South Africa : 1983 assessment of resources and production. Pelindaba, Pretoia : Nuclear Development Corporation of South Africa, 1984.

 

 

 

Unpublished Government documents

Roux, A. J. A. Proposed atomic energy research and development programme for South Africa. January 1958.

Wilson Center. Digital Archive. South African Nuclear History

"This collection is a result of the partnership between the Wilson Center’s Nuclear Proliferation International History Project and Monash South Africa"

Government enterprises

The Atomic Energy Board was established in terms of the Atomic Energy Act 35 of 1948. The Atomic Energy Act of 1967 repealed Act 35 of 1948 and allowed for the continued existence of the Board. Annual reports @ G 68 ES(ATOM)

The Atomic Energy Board ceased to exist at the end of June 1982. On 1 July 1982 the Atomic Energy Corporation of South Africa (AEC of SA) was established as a state corporation in terms of the Nuclear Energy Act 92 of 1982. Annual reports @ G 68 ES(ATOM). This Act also established the Council for Nuclear Safety. Annual reports @ G 68 ES(NUCL).

The Nuclear Development Corporation of SA (Nucor), established in 1982, and the Uranium Enrichment Corporation of SA (Ucor), established in 1971, were subsidiary companies of the Atomic Energy Corporation of SA. They were both dissolved after restructuring of the Atomic Energy Corporation on 1 July 1985. Nucor review @ G 68 ES.NUCO

The Nuclear Energy Act 131 of 1993 allowed for the continued existence of the Atomic Energy Corporation of South Africa and the Council for Nuclear Safety. The Atomic Energy Corporation was succeeded by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation in 2000. The Council for Nuclear Safety was succeeded by the National Nuclear Regulator in 2000.

The South African Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction was established by the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Act 87 of 1993. Annual Reports, 1999/2000 to date @ G 68 ES.NONP

 

 

Chronology

Masiza, Zondi. A Chronology of South Africa's Nuclear Program. The Nonproliferation Review, Fall 1993.