South Africa: ‘Shocking’ report finds radioactive vegetables

Radioactive levels three times higher than permitted have been found in vegetables grown in wetlands in the Wonderfonteinspruit area between Randfontein and Potchefstroom, Beeld newspaper reported on Saturday.

It cited what it described as “shocking revelations” on Friday in a report by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation drawn up at the request of the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) some time back, but only released now.


The newspaper said tests on asparagus, oats and onions produced in the Gerhard Minne wetlands showed that the level of radioactive substances was three times higher than the safe permissible level for human consumption.

Pointing out that intensive gold mining takes place in the area — and that uranium as a by-product is found in mine dumps there — the news report said large tracts of land in the area of the Wonderfonteinspruit were 150 times more radioactive than the permitted level.

It quoted an unidentified spokesperson for the NNR as saying on Friday that the test results in the report were worrying.

Mail & Guardian