Necsa: There’s more to nuclear technology than pure power generation

Navigating global geopolitics turned out to be a particular challenge for Necsa post-2020

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation(Necsa) has recorded progress in the past four financial years with the successful implementation of the turnaround strategy that was approved by the board in 2021.

Necsa reported a net profit after tax of R125.2 million for the year 2024/25.

CEO Loyiso Tyabashe points out in a podcast with ESI Africa Editor-in-chief Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl that this comes off a base in the previous year of R108m.

“So we’re seeing a positive trajectory in this figure posted. This is certainly based on the groundwork that has been done by the Necsa group of employees in terms of turning this organisation around,” explains Tyabashe.

He says enacting the turnaround strategy has been “a really interesting journey” that is not not been without its difficulties.

“The two most challenging aspects in delivering the strategy has been the geopolitical environment that changed post-2020, because there were various challenges, be it transport be it fuel supply be it many other things… we had to navigate the storms of the international geopolitical framework.

“The other one that has been much more at an operational level that has been a challenge and continues to be a challenge is the Pelchem performance. The Pelchem part of our business, which is the chemicals part based on fluorochemicals, is an area that has really struggled up to this point to become profitable.”

Cover photo:  Pelindaba nuclear research centre is home to the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation. Source: Necsa.