Programme Director,
The Minister of Science and Technology; Mr Derek Hanekom,
Delegates from the SKA Partner Countries,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Opening remarks
We gather here this evening to celebrate and mark the First Ministerial Meeting of the SKA African partner countries. This afternoon, SKA African partner countries adopted the Pretoria Resolutions, which amongst others, chart the way forward for cooperation in the context of the Square Kilometer Array telescope, and the African Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) projects.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our partners for the commitment displayed and the achievements we have made thus far. Given the road we have travelled, we can confidently say that we have a good story to tell and we look forward to the inauguration of the first dish of the 64-dish MeerKat in Carnarvon tomorrow.
Historical context
This year marks South Africa's twentieth year as a democracy and, naturally, this provides us with an opportunity for reflection. The dawn of the democratic order in 1994 heralded a number of significant changes for our country – including for science and technology.
Before 1994, public investment in science was largely driven by the need to advance the narrow objectives of a state that served a particular section of society. All of this changed with the advent of the first democratic government, and a number of new legal and institutional mechanisms were put in place to put our country on a new developmental path.
Some of these include the landmark White Paper on Science and Technology of 1996, which emphasises the role of science and technology as an essential instrument for socio-economic development and, in particular, the alleviation of poverty.
Another major milestone was the creation of the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, which split in 2004 to allow us to become a fully-fledged independent Department of Science and Technology. One of the immediate priorities of this new department was to develop South Africa's strategy for international scientific and technological cooperation.
This was important, inter alia, to develop relations with African partners, but also to optimally leverage international partnerships and investment in support of national programmes and capacity-building. The importance of today's bilateral agreements and the socio-economic impact of the SKA
It is in this context that we must consider the agreements that were entered into earlier today, particularly the work towards establishing relevant human capital development programmes and instruments aimed at building a new pipeline of researchers, scientists, engineers and people with the technical skills and expertise for the successful implementation and sustainability of the AVLBI, the SKA and other relevant radio-astronomy programmes and initiatives.
I had the privilege of visiting the SKA site in Carnarvon and the Southern African Large Telescope – or SALT – in Sutherland earlier this year, and, I must say, one of things that moved me most was seeing the developmental impact that these projects were having on the communities around them.
For the first time, many people in these communities are learning how to use a computer. Developing information and communication technology in such rural regions is of paramount importance to uplift our people. For this reason, we are pleased that projects such as the SKA are helping us to "bridge the digital divide", and that several similar projects that the Department of Science and Technology is implementing, such as the wireless mesh network, are doing the same.
Africa as the new astronomy hub
There is no doubt that we are witnessing a dawn on the Africa continent, as it is emerging as the new hub for astronomy and other related sciences. We have the advantages of our unique natural resources, clear skies, radio-quietness, minimal light pollution and remote and pristine sites for astronomy observation. Of course, we also have committed human capital.
As a precursor to the SKA, the Karoo Array Telescope – or KAT-7 – and the MeerKAT projects already put South Africa's scientists and engineers at the forefront of astronomy science and technology. KAT-7 is currently functioning as a pathfinder for a number of the key technologies that will enable the SKA to deliver on its science promise. It will provide scientific results that will help to refine the entire SKA science programme.
KAT-7 and the MeerKAT are pioneering the use of "Systems Engineering" methodology in the development of large scientific infrastructure. This methodology ensures that the completed project will work according to specifications, and allows careful control of the development and construction costs. This approach to telescope design and implementation will be of great value to the international SKA engineering team.
We need to maximise opportunities arising from our involvement in the SKA for education, science promotion and awareness, technology localisation, technology transfer, community development, capacity building and human capital development.
Concluding remarks
We see science, technology and innovation as a catalyst for solving complex questions about the origins of the universe, but we also see science, technology and innovation helping us to build a more humane world, wherein even the most vulnerable among us can believe that they too can" reach for the stars".
Through the SKA we have already touched the lives of many ordinary people in a meaningful way.
With these words, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to invite you to join us for the Ministerial Dinner, so that we can celebrate the outcome of our collective efforts!
Thank you!
