South Africa's Tokamak Fusion Reactor

Meet Tokoloshe

In 1972, the South African Atomic Energy Board (ABB) made the decision in principle to initiate a research project focused on hot plasmas. The project needed to align with international standards in plasma research while remaining compatible with local manpower and expertise resources. This led to the determination to construct a medium-sized tokamak, and the project officially commenced in 1975.

Most of the components were home designed and built, but unfortunately with the change of government at the end of Apartheid, the program, known as Tokoloshe got scrapped in 1994. Tokoloshe was experimental and it would have been used to create medical isotopes.

When I asked Dr Don Mingay the former director about the project, he said the following:

"Tokoloshe was in one of my divisions in ART (Applied Radiation Technology) was home designed and built with an aspect ratio of 2.3, being deliberately a scaled down version of JET. (Very difficult to mount all the toroidal coils, clever design.) In 1990 we were severely cut in funding and had to commercialise everything (which is when I took the Safari-I Research Reactor into large scale Moly-99 production as well as nuclear transmutation doping of large single crystal silicon ingots for the Japanese electronics industry. Both fields creating an International standing and bringing massive income to Pelindaba. (Currently about R2 billion p.a.) In addition of course we did many other applications from colouring Topaz blue to neutron radiography and neutron diffraction applications as well as general isotope production operations for everything from medical to industrial to .......

So I managed to get a stay of execution of the Tokomak for 2 years with the requirement that at least two International papers would be accepted for publication which I knew was in the bag. In 1994 the facility was shut members then distributed around the world to USA, Greece, ... while some went into the academic world of Universities local and overseas. Big loss of know-how which existed here and across the whole of the site.."

Displayed below is a photograph featuring the team of engineers and scientists who contributed to the project. Regrettably, I couldn't ascertain all their names. If any member of my audience possesses information about them, it would be greatly appreciated.

The lesson to draw from this situation is that Nuclear Power, unfortunately, is still in its early stages, rendering it highly susceptible to the political cycle. When Mandela’s government came to power, they had different priorities and unfortunately, the nuclear industry became the first casualty of the political transition. Highlighting this is not to assign blame but to underscore how fragile and dependent technological development is on the political system.

Basic research in this field is unlikely to produce immediate technological spinoffs, underscoring the need for a political class that comprehends and appreciates the long-term benefits of allocating funds for research and development (R&D).

Because Nuclear Power is still a relatively new technology , it is unfortunately still driven by fear. As Dr. Wade Allison told me, it will likely take a generation or two before humans come to fully accept it. However, he pointed out that nations pioneering its acceptance will provide their children with a remarkable advantage.

Updated:

Front row    (L-R)

• Dr D E Roberts (Scientific leader)   (beard)

• ?                      (Technical)

• ?                      (Technical)

• ?                      (Technical) 

• Dr V Evangelidis  (Theoretical)

• Dr J D Fletcher  (Experimental)   (moustache)

Second Row    (l-R)

• Mt A Joel     (Electronics)

• Dr J A M de Villiers (Group Leader)   (tie)

• Mr C Bruijnis (Electronics)

• Dr D W Mingay   (General Manager ART)   (tie)

• Top of Tokoloshe

• Dr G Nothnagel    (Experimental/Theory) (white shirt front)

• +   4 Technical personnel..