Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1981 - 1994 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
Form of materialDocuments
Context area
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Important documents of the South African Chemical and Biological Weapons Programme (CBW), which were part of the submissions to the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission during the public hearings into the CBW Programme in 1998.
These particular documents were made available on the website of the 'International Relations and Security Network' (ISN), and were downloaded in printed in May 2012. They consist of re-typed minutes, correspondence and reports, and are numbered 1-283.
The documents cover the years 1981 to 1994 and are relating to Projects COAST and JOTA, both chemical and biological weapons programmes of South Africa during Apartheid. According to one of the documents, Project Coast was launched in 1982 with the initial aim to establish a chemical and biological warfare capacity for the South African Defence Force. The programme was headed by Wouter Basson. Research activities were mainly conducted at the Roodeplaat Research Laboratories.
Some of the documents included are:
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright Historical Papers Research Archive, The Library, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa