By Norm Dixon
South African President F.W. de Klerk admission that South Africa developed six Hiroshima-sized nuclear bombs during the 1970s confirms charges made by the African National Congress and the anti-apartheid movement over the past two decades, but denied persistently until now. The apartheid regime may still be concealing the full extent of its nuclear arsenal.
According to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, South Africa obtained help building the bombs from the United States, Germany, France and Israel.
It is believed de Klerk's revelations, which he claimed were part of South Africa's compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, were made under extreme pressure from the United States government, which threatened to reveal the existence of the weapons if South Africa did not.
This highlights the hypocrisy of the US government towards nuclear proliferation. For decades the highest levels of the US government, military and intelligence were aware of South Africa's nuclear weapons and missile projects and the cooperation of Israel. There is evidence that US intelligence organisations either turned a blind eye to involvement by US companies or were directly involved.
The sudden concern by Washington is due to the likelihood of an ANC-led government in the near future. It is reported that the new Clinton administration has been putting heavy pressure on Pretoria to destroy all its nuclear weapons technology, get rid of any enriched uranium and cancel its space program and missile development before a majority government takes power, citing the ANC's "links" with Libya and Cuba.
While South Africa claims to have "dismantled" six bombs in 1990, there are doubts that this is really the full extent of its nuclear capability. Cape Town academic Renfrew Christie, who was jailed for passing details of South Africa's nuclear program to the ANC in 1980, told the British Guardian that Pretoria had developed nuclear shells that could be fired from its artillery as well as bombs designed for delivery by aircraft.
Washington-based nuclear weapons expert Gary Milhollin estimates that six nuclear bombs would have required 150 kg of enriched uranium. That leaves unaccounted for another 250 kg of enriched uranium thought to be in South Africa's possession.
In a statement on March 24, the ANC said de Klerk's admission "brings us one step closer to the truth about the Nationalist Party's conspiracy to deter democracy and preserve apartheid at all costs".
While the ANC welcomed the government's compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it was concerned that Pretoria was not required to reveal the extent of its nuclear activities prior to signing.
"We ... insist that the government goes further than a simple presidential statement. We demand the release of [the official] report on the dismantling of all weapons in Armscor's [South Africa's state-owned arms manufacturer] possession. We also insist that the government reveal what has happened to every gram of the stockpile of weapons-grade uranium."
The ANC called for disclosure of the full extent of foreign involvement in the nuclear program and expressed "deep dismay over the role of certain countries in helping to arm the apartheid government with weapons of mass destruction".
"It is laughable for Mr de Klerk to state that South Africa developed its nuclear weapons capability without outside help. It is a well known fact that the SAFARI-1 reactor was provided by the USA in 1965 under Eisenhower's 'Atoms for Peace' programme, that Koeberg was provided by the French-based Framatome, that uranium enrichment technology was provided by West Germany, and that Israel and South Africa collaborate on military and nuclear issues.
"In fact, the double flash detected by the US satellite Vela on September 22, 1979 in the south Indian Ocean is widely accepted as a joint Israeli-South Africa nuclear weapons test."
The ANC explained that the South African government has recently allocated R3.7 billion to the secret defence budget. It is persisting with weapons programs and the development of delivery systems for its missiles. "We need proof and guarantees that these programmes have no nuclear component."
An ANC government will be opposed to the possession of nuclear weapons. "We consistently opposed a nuclear weapons program, and continue to do so. Even as a deterrent, the nuclear weapons program made no sense, and consumed an immense amount of the nation's scarce resources."