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Witness History: Spying On South Africa's Nuclear Bomb

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Spying On South Africa's Nuclear Bomb

08/02/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, Spying On South Africa's Nuclear Bomb

Renfrew Christie was jailed and tortured for passing details of the bomb to the ANC

Renfrew Christie was jailed and tortured for passing details of the Apartheid government's nuclear secrets to the African National Congress, ANC.

During the Apartheid period, the South African government began developing a secret nuclear programme, culminating in the construction of six nuclear bombs. Anti-Apartheid campaigner, Renfrew Christie, first became aware of this when he was conscripted into the South African Army. He later gained access to details of the nuclear programme and passed them onto the military wing of the African National Congress, ANC.  In 1979 Christie was arrested and later tortured. He spoke to Olga Smirnova about his hunt for South Africa's nuclear weapons and his ordeal in jail. 

Photo: A restricted area sign close to the Koeberg nuclear power station, South Africa (Getty Images)

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