{
  "id": 10767777,
  "title": "PROJECT COAST: How apartheid biological weapons programme emerged from the dust of World War 2",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/project-coast-how-apartheid-biological-weapons-programme-emerged-from",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T20:02:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-09-29-how-apartheid-biological-weapons-programme-emerged-from-the-dust-of-world-war-2/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Project Coast, the apartheid-era biological weapons programme, emerged from the dust of World War 2. This covert endeavour, representing some of the worst practices in building and dismantling a biological weapons capability responsibly, was formally banned by the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) in 1972, which South Africa signed and ratified shortly thereafter. Despite this, Project Coast continued to operate, highlighting profound lessons in responsible governance of high-consequence projects.\n\nProject Coast built upon a prior chemical weapons programme, focusing on mustard gas production for the Allied forces during WW2. This chemical programme, conducted at state-owned factories in Klipfontein and Firgrove, aimed to develop alternatives to live ammunition for crowd control and to provide protective medical countermeasures for South African soldiers engaged in border wars in Namibia and Angola.\n\nThe programme was led by the Surgeon-General of the South African Defence Force (SADF) and run in practice by Dr Wouter Basson, a talented military cardiologist. Basson designed Project Coast to be used both defensively and offensively, despite Lieutenant General Daniel Knobel's testimony to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that it would be used solely for defensive purposes.\n\nProject Coast was compartmentalised into four civilian front companies: Delta G Scientific, Roodeplaat Research Laboratories, Protechnik, and Infladel. These companies were loosely overseen by a special committee and received resources from the SADF and the full support of the Minister of Defence and President Pieter Willem Botha.\n\nThe programme produced various biological and biochemical products, including poisons for assassination purposes, contaminated cigarettes, chocolates, lipstick, and envelope flaps. There were also attempts to spread cholera and yellow fever via contaminated drinking water in a Namibian refugee camp, and plans to slowly kill Nelson Mandela with thallium before his release from prison.\n\nThe chemical wing of the programme manufactured CR, a potent crowd control agent more powerful than tear gas, which was loaded into weapon delivery systems. Between 1987 and 1994, CR powder was loaded into hand and rifle grenades, mortar bombs, and artillery shells for use in the G5 system, causing eye irritation, temporary blindness, pain, and coughing.\n\nIncapacitating agents were developed for use on prisoners of war, with fatal doses of surgical muscle relaxants administered to Swapo POWs. Over 200 guerrilla prisoners were killed between 1979 and 1987, with incapacitated bodies being flown out to sea and dumped into the Atlantic Ocean. Roodeplaat scientists also worked on anti-fertility measures targeting black people, with nearly 20% of Roodeplaat's projects devoted to fertility control.",
  "summary": "The second of six parts on the apartheid-era biological programmes that went by the benign name of Project Coast – a covert endeavour representing some of the worst practices in building and dismantling a biological weapons capability responsibly. Profound lessons can be learnt about how to – and how not to – govern high-consequence projects.",
  "key_points": [
    "Project Coast emerged from WWII chemical weapons program",
    "Led by Surgeon-General and Dr Wouter Basson",
    "Produced incapacitating agents and fertility control measures"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}