The nuclear industry provides economic benefits to the country, Eastern Cape economic development MEC Mcebisi Jonas, said on Thursday.
He said South Africa had a long nuclear history and was home to a nuclear power station in the Western Cape.
"There is also a research and production facility in the North West province which is producing medical products to annually treat millions of patients and many other applications of nuclear energy.
"We need to highlight these and showcase the benefit that people are already deriving from our nuclear energy," he said in a speech prepared for delivery at the Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa (Niasa) conference in Port Elizabeth.
He said he hoped the conference would draw up a practical and realistic plan for the future.
"If at the end of this convention we have at least formulated the right questions then, I think that we will have a sound footing for the road ahead."
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