Square Kilometre Array benefits impress Committee

The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Trade and International Relations has welcomed assurance that the construction of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will bring more than R30 billion into the country.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Eddie Makue, said the comments by the Minister of Science and Technology Ms Naledi Pandor on the kind of investments that would come directly from the construction of the SKA in the Northern Cape are exciting. “It is evidently clear that the SKA project is not only for science practitioners, but also of benefit to ordinary people, particularly in one of South Africa’s most rural and underdeveloped provinces,” Mr Makue said.

“Having such a massive project, ordinary people on the street will feel the spin-offs. This project will sharpen African children’s enthusiasm in this field of wonder,” he said.

Minister Pandor informed the Heads of Missions Conference in Pretoria that the construction of the SKA would begin in 2018. MeerKat will be functional by 2016. It will also attract investment of well over R7 billion. She said other billions of rands would roll into the country during the operationalisation of projects.

Mr Makue called on government to ensure enough South Africans were encouraged into studying towards the world of scientific research particularly children from rural areas.

For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Sibongile Maputi
Tel: 021 403 8041
Cell: 081 052 6060
E-mail: smaputi@parliament.gov.za

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