The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, has in terms of the Space Affairs Act No. 84 of 1993, appointed fifteen people from various government departments, academia and industry, to serve on the South African Council for Space Affairs (SACSA). Dr Peter Martinez, of the National Research Foundation’s South African Astronomical Observatory and by Ms Nomfuneko Majaja, of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), have been appointed Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Council, respectively.
Other members are Mr Kim Victor Gorringe (Commercial Aviation Authority of South Africa), Advocate Patrick Phethole (Advocate of the High Court), Dr Sandile Malinga (National Research Foundation), Ms Pontsho Maruping (Mine Health Council), Ms Valerie Matlou (Department of International Relations and Cooperation), Ms Andiswa Mlisa (Umvoto Pty Ltd), Mr Wabile Motswasele (CSIR, Satellite Applications Centre), Dr Valanathan Munsami (Department of Science and Technology), Mr Ron Olivier (SunSpace (Pty) Ltd), Mr Linden Petzer (Department of Communications), Mr Hennie Rheeder (SETA), Ms Jo-Ansie Van Wyk (University of South Africa), and Mr Themba Tenza (Department of Transport).
SACSA is a statutory body, which has a responsibility to, on behalf of the State, take care of the space related interests of South Africa in compliance with international Agreements, Conventions and Treaties. The main functions of SACSA are to advise the Minister of Trade and Industry on all space and space-related activities in the country and to implement South Africa’s National Space Policy through the creation of a supportive regulatory and international business environment for the South African industry.
In terms of international law, states are responsible for supervising the space activities of their nationals and companies. South Africa is among a small number of nations in the world that has adopted national space legislation governing space activities. Although the basic legal framework is in place, some gaps remain. One of these gaps is in the area of regulating and supporting commercial space activities. 2
SACSA‘s immediate plans include consideration of the various building blocks that need to be part of a commercially-oriented national space regime. These include particularly: authorisation aspects of space activities; supervision of space activities; registration of space objects; indemnification regulations; and procedural implementation of all regulations, including any additional regulations required when conducting commercial activities (i.e. insurance and liability, environment, financing, patent law and other intellectual property rights, export controls and dispute settlements).
The activities of SACSA include legal, policy, scientific, technical and advocacy matters relating to space activities.
SACSA is supported by a Secretariat, situated in the dti which provides operational support to the Council to enable it to function smoothly and to meet its mandate. The Secretariat is housed within the dti Campus, in Sunnyside, Pretoria, under the Industry Development Division.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Moloantoa Medupe
Tel: 012 394 1750
Cell:: 073 522 6801/079 429 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
