Concerns escalate over Vaalputs nuclear waste facility upgrade’s impact on agriculture

THE potential upgrade of the Vaalputs nuclear waste storage facility in the Northern Cape has triggered alarm bells among agricultural stakeholders.

- YOGASHEN PILLAY

The farming association TLU SA expressed deep concerns about the implications this development may have on the agriculture sector, an industry vital to the region's economy and food security.

The urgency of clear and transparent communication regarding this upgrade has been underscored as local communities grapple with uncertainty surrounding the proposed changes.

Recent reports highlighted that the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI) is advancing design plans to develop a Centralised Interim Storage Facility (CISF) for long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel from Koeberg Power Station, set to commence in 2030.

Riedewaan Bakardien, CEO of NRWDI, presented this update during a session with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy, igniting further anxiety among farmers and landowners in the region.

Jan Palm, Chairperson of TLU SA Northern Cape, said on Friday the planned upgrade and potential expansion of the Vaalputs nuclear waste storage facility was significant.

Palm said the Vaalputs area lied in a region that was becoming increasingly important for sustainable livestock farming and dryland crop production.

“This development has far-reaching implications for organised agriculture, local communities, and food security in Namaqualand and the broader Northern Cape,’ he said.