The Department of Electricity and Energy has opened public comment on proposed amendments to South Africa’s nuclear energy legislation. The draft Nuclear Energy Amendment Bill, 2025, was published in Government Gazette No. 54720 on May 22.
According to the Bill’s explanatory note, the amendments seek to substitute certain definitions and insert new definitions, enhance the regulatory framework for nuclear materials and goods, ensure compliance with international nuclear non-proliferation agreements, establish and maintain a national register of authorised persons, provide for restricted acts and activities, provide for applications for authorisation and provide for the minister’s powers over authorisation.
Among the proposed amendments is the establishment and maintenance of a national register of persons authorised to carry out activities under the Act.
The Bill also proposes revised authorisation provisions, requiring persons seeking authorisation to lodge applications in the prescribed form and manner. It further proposes that the Minister of Electricity and Energy may grant or refuse authorisations following consultation with the South African Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction on matters affecting weapons proliferation.
A proposed new section would allow the Minister to suspend, amend or revoke an authorisation if there is reason to believe that the holder has contravened or failed to comply with any condition under which the authorisation was granted or where the conditions under which the authorisation was granted are no longer met.
The proposed amendments also expand the list of restricted acts and activities to include the acquisition, disposal, import, possession or use of nuclear-related technology and software as well as the export, brokering, transit and trans-shipment of source material, special nuclear material, restricted material, goods and nuclear-related equipment and material.
The Bill further proposes the establishment of advisory committees on nuclear-related matters and includes proposed amendments to governance provisions relating to the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation SOC Ltd.
Written submissions must be submitted to the Department of Electricity and Energy within 30 days of publication of the notice.
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