Chairperson and hon members, the Bill before us provides for the establishment of the South African National Space Agency as a public entity that will co-ordinate and integrate National Space Science and Technology Programmes and conduct long-term planning and the implementation of space-related activities in South Africa for the benefit of all citizens.
The Bill is intended to promote the peaceful use of space; support the creation of an environment conducive to industrial development and space technology; foster research in space science, communications, navigations and space physics; advance scientific, engineering and technological competencies and capabilities through human capital development outreach programmes and infrastructure development; and foster international co- operation and space-related activities.
Among other things, the agency will be responsible for the implementation of any space programme in line with the Space Affairs Act of 1993, the implementation of the National Space Science and Technology Strategy and the acquisition, assimilation or dissemination of space satellite data for any organ of state.
Because of its strategic geographical location and enriched biodiversity, South Africa is well positioned to lead research on the continent in terms of understanding and projecting changes to the physical earth system and their impact and to develop strategies for mitigating and limiting their long-term effects.
In this context South Africa's competency and capability in space science and technology should become a key contributor to global space, science and technology. The South African National Space Agency will therefore become an important vehicle for promoting our growing satellite industry and a range of innovations in space sciences, earth observations, communications, navigation and engineering.
In this era of significant climate change the attendant social, economic and environmental consequences underline the need for more significant monitoring of the earth systems, and the role of the agency in the implementation of the National Space Science and Technology Strategy and related programmes will be critical.
Space science and technology benefits a broad range of role-players, and as a way of consolidating efforts aimed at maximising the return on investment in this field, most countries have national legislative and policy instruments which attempt to reform and consolidate the broad diversity of parties that stand to benefit from space activities.
Internationally space policies are normally co-ordinated through dedicated controlling bodies. Historically space agencies have played a key role in supporting and co-ordinating R&D and scientific programmes because they are directly involved in the development and running of the programmes and are ideally placed to develop an indigenous space industry by contracting out projects.
The exploitation and application of space technologies is essential in solving some of the current and future challenges faced by society, which include but are not limited to global warming, climate change and energy needs. Governments and societies are increasingly realising the enormous potential of space sciences and how they can be applied in people's daily lives.
Space activities have specifically contributed and have the potential to continue addressing major societal challenges. These relate to the state of the environment, the use of natural resources, the increase in mobility of individuals and products and their consequences, growing security threats and a shift towards the information society.
To derive maximum value from space applications, we need to fulfil several conditions such as developing our space systems further, improving the integration of these systems with ground base systems and establishing the sustainable and predictable provision of space- based services. This is the part we need to follow if we want to achieve economic growth targets that can yield benefits to all our citizens. On the basis of the consultations and comments received, we are comfortable at this point that the establishment of the South African National Space Agency is seen as a very positive intervention in the country. In terms of the corporate form, the agency will be a Schedule 3A entity.
Hon members, I now wish to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Deputy Minister Derek Hanekom, the portfolio committee led by the chairperson hon N G Oliphant, the director-general Dr Phil Mjwara and the management team and staff of my department for working as a collective in the drafting and consultative processes of this Bill.
Chairperson, I submit to the House the South African National Space Agency Bill for consideration and approval. I thank you.
Thank you, Chairperson. Members, today you will see that chairpersons get more minutes than Ministers, so let's start with first things first. The ANC members will remember that today, 26 June 2008, is the 53rd anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter at the Congress of the People in Kliptown. It is at times like these that the revolutionary forces in our country need to ask the question: How many of the 10 clauses of the Freedom Charter have we fully implemented to date, and what still has to be done to achieve the full implementation of the decisions and mandate given by our forebears? Amongst us in this House we have hon Ben Turok who was amongst the outstanding leaders of the Congress of the People. He was the chairperson of the provincial action council in the Western Cape at the time. Comrade Ben Turok prides himself on having introduced and written the economic clause of the Freedom Charter: "The people shall share in the country's wealth." Congratulations, Madala, and happy birthday! [Applause.]
Professor Z K Mathews, grandfather of the Minister of Education, Comrade Naledi Pandor, will always be remembered as the initiator of the idea for the Freedom Charter and the Congress of the People over 50 years ago. Thank you very much, Prof.
Some of the ANC members will remember the very rendition of the time, particularly in the early 80s ...
...ke Oliver Tambo, yo o re dumeletseng go tsamaisa Freedom Charter. O ne a na le bomang? Le Mandela le Sisulu, le Mandela le Sisulu." (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[... it is Oliver Tambo, who allowed us to keep the Freedom Charter going. Who was there with him? It was Mandela and Sisulu, Mandela and Sisulu.]
Let me return to the Freedom Charter. Clause 10 of the Freedom Charter states: There Shall be Peace and Friendship!
South Africa shall be a fully independent state, which respects the rights and sovereignty of all nations;
South Africa shall strive to maintain world peace and the settlement of all international disputes by negotiations - not war;
Peace and friendship amongst all our people shall be secured by upholding the equal rights, opportunities and status of all; ...
The right of all peoples of Africa to independence and self-government shall be recognised, and shall be the basis of close co-operation.
Key amongst the objectives of the South African National Space Agency Bill is the promotion of the peaceful use of space and the fostering of international co-operation in space-related matters. Space infrastructure and technologies are, by their nature, of dual use. These can be used for both civilian and military applications. Today's rockets were developed from yesterday's missiles.
Nations that use space effectively will enjoy added prosperity and security. We have fought against the colonisation of our continent over many years and decades. Now is the time to avoid the re-colonisation of developing nations through our effective use of outer space. Africa must be amongst the nations that hold a substantial geographic advantage.
According to the submission received from the University of the Western Cape, at least three fellow African countries have established their national space agencies years ago. They are Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt. It is overdue that South Africa follows their lead if we are to maintain our sincere and technological reputation.
Chairperson, on a point of order: Talking about space, is it appropriate, sir, that a man who occupies so little space in terms of his size should occupy so much time in terms of this debate? [Laughter.]
Unfortunately, Mr Ellis, that is not a point of order.
Some people are just a waste of flesh and food! Mr Keith Gottschalk, from the Department of Political Studies of the University of the Western Cape, further went on to remind us, and I quote:
In the past it was the Nasa who selected a historically disadvantaged schoolgirl in Khayelitsha, flew her to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL, in Pasadena, California, and trained her to operate robotically one of their two Mars rovers. In future, it should be our own space agency that organise such schools outreach programmes.
Like many other Bills that went through Parliament, the South African National Space Agency Bill was subjected to public participation and scrutiny. The DST, which is the Department of Science and Technology, Mr Ellis, also gave a report during this process about their own consultation processes, which was very helpful.
The portfolio committee wishes to thank the University of the Western Cape, the University of Cape Town, the Department of Communications, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Telkom, SunSpace, Marcom, the SA Astronomical Observatory, C&M Space Investments, Eskom, Sanparks and Sentech for their valuable written submissions and in particular those entities that afforded the committee the opportunity to interact further with their oral submissions. Nagomso! I must say, the DA was very well behaved here on space matters.
We always are!
The Bill has been greatly improved from its original form and I wish to thank members of the portfolio committee across all political parties for their excellent work. Give them a big hand. [Applause.]
There were, however, issues that the committee members were uncomfortable about, which included the fact that the Bill was tabled before Parliament without a properly approved National Outer Space Policy by Cabinet. This policy is still in draft form.
Similarly, the National Space Science and Technology Strategy still has to be approved. The committee was assured that both this policy and strategy would be adopted in August 2008, with the formal launch of the strategy in September 2008. We, however, derived some comfort from the fact that there is not necessarily a policy vacuum because we have some legislation on the Statute Book of Parliament: the Space Affairs Act of 1993.
Another matter of concern was the money to be appropriated by Parliament to fund the agency. This matter obviously has to be balanced against other national, competing priorities here on earth. The acquisition and development of appropriate skills and technology was urgently raised during the committee's deliberations and will continue to a form part of and a basis for our ongoing oversight work.
We are encouraged, however, by the determination of private companies like SunSpace and Marcom. They already have world-class technology in space science and continue to train scientists and engineers in these fields. For example, SunSpace has already built three satellites, two of which were launched and one is still in operation. The Sumbandila Satellite was completed and handed over to the Department of Science and Technology in 2006. This third satellite was intended to be a Low Earth Orbit Satellite and still has to be launched. Sumbandila is an 80 kg microsatellite built by SunSpace under contract to Stellenbosch University on behalf of the DST and that contract was awarded in 2005.
During our public hearings there were suggestions that with some modifications, Sumbandila could be launched into higher space and still provide high-resolution earth observation data.
Let me remind you that in 2007, the department deployed nine black engineering interns to build the training model satellite, while at the same time commissioning developments for a new sensor intended to be used in future remote sensing satellites. Remote sensing from space can provide critical data for flood prevention and flood mitigation.
As stated in the National Space Science and Technology Strategy, timely satellite imagery and communication enables links in hard-to-reach places and can help to stem catastrophic economic and human losses. With these space technologies and applications, societies are able, amongst other things, to engage in communication and navigation positioning anywhere in the world, observe any sport on earth accurately and locate objects anywhere on earth on the surface of the globe. Your mobile phones, your car phones, tracking systems in your vehicles or any fixed asset can be located anywhere using this technology.
As the saying goes, colleagues and comrades, particularly from the DA, using this technology you can run, but you can't hide - we'll find you. For the business community, in particular, the benefits are enormous, and for you, comrades, who travel a lot with your swipe cards, bank transaction times are decreased through instant communication. Broadcast information become worldwide commodities and productivity and deficiency are generally improved. For example, this is the technology necessary for our 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament to be successfully accessible with the necessary equipment to all our homes and anywhere in the world.
Our country has excellent facilities and remarkable capabilities to enhance our competencies in space science and technology. The South African Astronomical Observatory, SAAO, is doing our national research for optical astronomy, the primary function of which is to further fundamental research in astronomy and astrophysics at national and international levels.
You must know that this is Greek to some of my colleagues who are here. [Interjections.] And you can hear the vessels that make the most noise!
In 2005 SAAO made the transition from the construction phase to the operational phase of the Southern African Large Telescope, SALT, in Sutherland. With the large-scale facilities like SALT and other initiatives such as the Square Kilometre Array and the ZSAT, Southern Africa is emerging as a regional space science and technology hub.
The Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory is another facility responsible for research and training in radio astronomy and space geodesy in South Africa. This is one of only six permanent fundamental space geodesy stations worldwide and participates in Geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry, VLBI.
With regard to Satellite Laser Ranging and the Global Navigating Satellite System, GNSS, this radio astronomy group is part of the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme for postgraduate students. The last one that I'll mention just to keep my colleagues on my left hand side very warm, is the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory. It is one other such facility which functions as part of the worldwide network of magnetic observatories. Its core function is to monitor and model variations of the earth's magnetic field. This Bill is also intended, amongst other things, to advance scientific engineering through human capital. In 1987 the Department of Communications established the Institution for Satellite and Software Applications, ISSA, and the main aim and objective was to introduce young black engineers to the fields of space engineering and space science and technology. More than 500 graduates in satellite engineering, network security and ICT policy research were produced. I am left with one minute.
The vision of ISSA has subsequently evolved to the development of higher level ICT applications to meet the needs of the country and continent.
Finally, the Bill makes provision for the appointment of board members, their remuneration, the establishment of committees and meetings. The CEO and other employees of the agency will have the possibility of a pension fund, which may be established under the Pension Fund Act of 1956.
Comrades, before joining this Parliament in 1994, I was part of the collective of mine workers who dug the deepest mines in the world. Now today I am joining another collective that is determined to launch the highest rockets in the world. [Applause.] I suppose that's the South African spirit of always wanting to be the best.
Let me conclude by thanking the ever hardworking and efficient staff who made it possible for us to conclude our work successfully: Ms Zelna Jansen, who is our committee secretary; Thando Nkalitshana, the study group secretary; Nina Parsons, the PA to the chairperson; the parliamentary legal advisor, Ms Rifilwe Mathabathe; and the state law advisor, Ms Phumelele Ngema, for having been there when we needed them the most. Comrades, thank you very much. [Applause.]
Chairperson, I rise on a point of national importance. Could I address you on it, please? One of my colleagues indicated to me - and it is a very important point I believe - that the satellites that the hon Oliphant mentioned can detect anything from a long way off and can find things. As he said: One can never hide from them. We would like to suggest that he gives one of these satellite contraptions to the hon Bloem, who can then help find the 26 000 missing prisoners in this country! [Laughter.]
I am sure the two chairpersons can work something out. Thank you, hon Ellis.
Chair, I trust our chairperson, the hon Mr Oliphant, would be able to add that long dissertation to his thesis on time or space, or some doctorate of some sort, because he certainly gave us a sort of a long haul there. At the outset, I would just like to also apologise for my colleague the hon Blanch. He is overseas, Minister, and I am sure he would have liked to have been part of this debate, which is a very exciting one.
The South African National Space Agency Bill which is before us binds South Africa closer to the family of nations wishing not only to explore space, but to use it to advance life on Earth. The Bill draws us closer into this family of space explorers, and opens up opportunities for South Africans to play a role in the peaceful use - and I stress peaceful use - of space. To this end, the portfolio committee had the opportunity to meet with enthusiastic citizens, who are eager to start building satellites and rocket launchers, during the public participation process.
The Bill will enable South Africans to actively engage in space technology and industrial development and will foster research in astronomy, Earth observation, communications, navigation and space physics.
More importantly, the passing of the Bill could be an opportunity again for the development of world-class aerospace products and attracting commercial direct foreign investments, all of which is good for our economy and good for job creation. It is important though that the agency envisaged in the Bill must be seen to be supporting the creation of an environment conducive to this development actively and not in essence be seen as competing with private industry. To this end, government must leave industrial development in the hands of the private sector whilst playing a major role in the facilitation and the creation of support mechanisms for small, medium and micro enterprises in this new, exciting arena.
The Bill will further allow South African entities to be part of international co-operation in space-related activities, and bring Africa on board with the other nations already active in this field. The agency will also ensure that government departments will in future work together collectively on space policies while forming an alliance with international space agencies in order to share costs and at the same time share and promote space policies.
This Bill will advance our scientific engineering and technological competencies and capabilities through human capital development and outreach programmes. The Bill will allow the space agency to acquire, assimilate or disseminate space satellite data for any organ of state. It makes the older generation such the hon Mr Ellis and me here very excited as South Africans when we open doors for even younger South Africans to take part in the wonderful world that space travel has opened up for Earth and all life on it.
South Africa has up to now played a significant role in the development of space exploration, and this Bill is just one more achievement added to our role model profile as Africa's leading modern democracy. We have come a long way since Hartebeesthoek first became Africa's eye to the sky.
The data that will be collected, distributed and disseminated will be to the advantage and peaceful development of Southern Africa, and will open up windows of opportunity for Africa as whole, be it in agriculture, weather forecasting, navigation or many other fields of activity. Of particular importance in this regard is the role South Africa can play in monitoring and evaluating climate change and food security in a continent plagued by droughts, floods and the resultant hunger and poverty that follows such disasters, Minister. This Bill is a small step for Parliament but a giant step for Africa, and therefore, the DA has no problems or any doubt in supporting this very worthwhile Bill. Thank you, sir. [Applause.]
Chairperson, perhaps it is the nature of humans that we rather prefer to reach outwards towards our Maker somewhere out there in the vast expanse of the universe than to be content with our mere mortal selves.
The establishment of the SA National Space Agency will certainly cater to this calling and inspire young scientists to want to contribute towards the most romantic and dramatic of all sciences: space science! But space and time are relative phenomena. Across the ocean is now across the road. Big Brother in the bedroom is now a satellite eye in the sky. The Earth is indeed a global village openly connected through the Worldwide Web.
Now we reach the next phase which is an interlinked and interactive network of independent content providers from around the globe, sourcing information from satellites configured in such a way that they communicate with others participating in the system. Among the otherwise excellent goals of this Bill is one that wishes to ensure independence from other technologies.
Why, if we are working for the common good and we align ourselves with the international Global Earth Observations System, Geos, which aims to make Earth observation a global public good accessible to all? The power of an eye in the sky as an invader of privacy is immense, and it is important that the information is openly shared.
We are all children of Gaia, Mother Earth, susceptible to the impact of climate change and perhaps never before has the world needed to co-operate in its response to societal issues of disaster, health, energy, water, weather, ecosystems, agriculture and now even crime monitoring. We are not exactly frontrunners in the space race, and we heard yesterday in an excellent report by our chairman how we are failing miserably to protect our indigenous knowledge.
While we reach for new heights, let us not ignore what is under our feet. For the satellite information to be useful to government, superb co- ordination amongst various departments will be required, and that is repeatedly recognised as one of our major failings. Mr Cronin's idea of an administrative committee that co-ordinates government business or the IFP's proposal of a President and an Executive Prime Minister dedicated to managing government business could add immense value to the way our country operates by linking the macro to the micro and one department to another.
No amount of space specialists will enhance the status of our students in maths and science. Hence the ability to convert inspiration through perspiration to aspiration and qualification will remain a major challenge of this Bill. The IFP supports it. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, the MF is excited that South Africa has finally displayed an interest in astronomy and that our people will soon be engaging in their own studies of space.
The IMAX theatres in Pretoria and Durban host a number of educational documentaries on our planet and space. We are disappointed that the IMAX theatres in Cape Town and Johannesburg have closed down. We find them very beneficial in educating our people and creating an interest among our young. The travels of our Mark Shuttleworth were certainly an achievement and a proud encounter for South Africans. We are pleased that we as a nation are extending ourselves through science and technology to learn more about our planet and space.
The MF, however, is interested in how this will affect our budget and how monies have been allocated to carry this out. Further, we would like to know whether there is an international agreement that we have to ratify to introduce the SA National Space Agency.
Chairperson, it is with great excitement that the MF supports this Bill.
Chairperson, it remains for me to thank hon members for a wonderful debate which was entertaining at times.
Although it is space that we are dealing with here, it is actually about Earth. It is about what happens on our Earth: about our health; education; communication; agriculture; town planning; disaster management; navigation; mineral exploration; estimation of our water resources; and, above all, the development of new technologies, engineering and taking our country forward and modernising our economy. But, unfortunately, hon Ellis, we can also find you, if we want to find you, by using this type of technology.
Hon members, we have today laid a foundation for an exciting future for our country in the area of science, technology and engineering. I thank you very much for a wonderful debate. [Applause.]
I hope you don't exclude the hon Bloem and his initiatives, hon Minister!
Debate concluded.
Bill read a second time.