South Africa says radioactive contamination at nuclear plant was minor
South African officials confirmed that recent radioactive contamination at the Koeberg nuclear plant was minor and posed no public risk. The government remains committed to expanding nuclear power capacity to meet national energy needs.
Why it matters
Transparency regarding nuclear safety is critical for South Africa as it seeks to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance on coal.
Recent radioactive contamination incidents at Africa's only nuclear power plant were minor and posed no public danger, officials said on Sunday (July 19, 2026), reaffirming South Africa's intention to scale up nuclear power generation.
"Airborne radioactive contamination" was detected during scheduled maintenance work at the Koeberg nuclear plant, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Cape Town, between June 30 and July 16, they told a press briefing.
"The recorded levels were extremely low -- less than the radiation exposure from using your cellphone for several minutes," said Mteto Nyati, chairman of the state-owned energy authority Eskom, which runs Africa's only operational nuclear plant.
"All protocols were followed," he said, with workers undergoing testing that showed minimal exposure. "There was no release into the environment, no risk to the public," he said.
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