The South African government has announced the new boards of directors for both the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) and the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI).
The NNR serves to ensure that people, property and the environment are protected against nuclear damage. It does so by establishing and enforcing safety standards and regulatory practices. It is responsible for granting nuclear authorisations for, and enforcing safety regulatory control over, the design, siting, construction, operation, decommissioning, decontamination and closure of nuclear installations, as well as over the manufacture of component parts for these installations. It also has the same responsibilities regarding nuclear-powered vessels or vessels carrying radioactive material, and for the transport of radioactive materials. Its responsibilities also cover the mining of radioactive materials, small-scale users of radioactive materials, and radioactive waste management.
The new NNR board is – chairperson Protas Phili (a reappointment), Pinkie Deneo Peta (also reappointed), Paul Heeger, Nolubabalo Zolisa Zwakala, Dr Pathmanathan Naidoo, Dr Nandi Malumbazo, Theodorah Bahlekazi and Happy Khambule.
The NRWDI came into being at the end of 2009. It exists to provide radioactive waste disposal solutions that are innovative and environmentally safe, not only for now, but into the future. It operates the Vaalputs storage depository, in the Northern Cape, for low level radioactive waste (which accounts for 90% of radioactive waste), and plans to create an interim centralised facility to store high level radioactive waste there, as well. (Currently, high level waste, such as spent fuel, is stored at the reactor sites.)
The new NRWDI board is – chairperson Lemao Dorah Modise, Deputy Chairperson Dr Wolsey Barnard, Gratitude Ramphaka, Dr Kgaugelo Chiloane (reappointed) and Advocate Derick Block.