-
Metal containers being emplaced in a disposal trench at the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility in Vaalputs in the Northern Cape.
Agri Northern Cape has expressed concern that plans to expand the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility could put the lives of communities at risk.
Plans are afoot to upgrade the facility. The aim is to make it a high-grade nuclear waste storage.
This follows the South African Nuclear Energy Cooperative’s handover of the facility to the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute.
President of Agri Northern Cape, Willem Symington says, “Agri Northern Cape is not concerned about the facility as such. But the storage of radioactive materials is a very hazardous process. Agri Northern Cape is concerned if necessary protocols and strict adherence to the rules of operations are not met, there will be risks for communities adjacent to the facility.”
Today, 22 September 2025, together with the Stakeholder Management team, Koeberg’s Acting Senior Manager of Nuclear Fuel, Justice Gumede, shared an Operational Perspective of Nuclear Power at the milestone handover of the Vaalputs Disposal Facility, in the Northern Cape.
The… pic.twitter.com/L1YrpvNNzG
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) September 22, 2025
