South Africa’s capacity to deal with incidents involving radioactive materials has received a boost. North-West University (NWU) academic Dr Tebogo Kupi has returned from Austria where he attended a high-level international training course aimed at preparing experts to deliver national workshops on radiological crime scene management.

“This training was an important opportunity to expand South Africa’s ability to respond effectively to incidents involving radioactive materials,” says Dr Kupi, who is based at the NWU’s Centre for Applied Radiation Science. “The skills and methodologies I gained will be shared with stakeholders at home to help strengthen our national preparedness.”

The “Train the trainers course on radiological crime scene management for subject matter experts” was held from 28 July to 1 August 2025 at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Centre in Seibersdorf. The programme equipped participants with technical expertise and instructional skills in line with the IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 22-G guidelines.

Dr Kupi’s participation followed a competitive nomination process that required institutional approval and an application through the IAEA’s InTouch+ system.

For the training, the IAEA brought together participants from diverse fields including law enforcement; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear disciplines; radiation detection; nuclear forensics; and related sciences. They also encouraged the inclusion of women in nuclear security expertise.

Following the training, Dr Kupi committed to applying the knowledge gained in national capacity-building initiatives and contributing to post-event evaluations to measure the programme’s impact.

NWU academic Dr Tebogo Kupi has returned from Austria where he attended a high-level international training course aimed at preparing experts to deliver national workshops on radiological crime scene management.