The West and Nuclear Experiments in South Africa between Pelindaba and Bilondona Zero (1948–1977)

Eltomy, Assmaaa Mohamed

doi:10.21608/qarts.2025.415063.2293

The West and Nuclear Experiments in South Africa between Pelindaba and Bilondona Zero (1948–1977)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assmaaa Mohamed Eltomy

10.21608/qarts.2025.415063.2293

Abstract

This study examines the development of nuclear activity in South Africa between 1948 and 1977, a period that witnessed the establishment of nuclear reactors and the conduct of nuclear experiments with Western support under the framework of a so-called peaceful nuclear program. Western involvement, particularly that of the United States, was less about enabling South Africa’s nuclear ambitions than about fostering cooperation and uranium exchange for civilian purposes, especially in the context of Cold War rivalries between the United States and the Soviet Union. This rivalry shaped international efforts to maintain global balance and regulate nuclear cooperation.The research highlights key milestones, including the establishment of the Pelindaba reactor (1948) and the Bilondona Zero reactor (1967), as well as U.S. attempts to pressure South Africa into signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968)—attempts that were firmly rejected. Despite international concerns, South Africa continued to pursue nuclear cooperation with Western states. Tensions escalated with South Africa’s plan to conduct a nuclear test under the Kalahari Desert in 1977, which drew global attention during the Carter administration.
The study concludes that South Africa’s nuclear trajectory during this period not only shaped its foreign relations but also contributed to broader debates on nuclear proliferation, global balance, and the limits of peaceful nuclear cooperation.

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