House Chair, the ACDP rises to support this report as previous speakers have indicated the convention established in the SKA was signed on 19 March this year by... and it's important to note all the different the different countries that are involved. The United Kingdom, the People's Republic of China, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Australia and South Africa. When fully deployed the SKA will consist of an array of 4000 antennas and be 50 times more sensitive than the Hubble Space Telescope even though it will be ground based. This is a phenomenal project.
South Africa will be one of the three host countries along side the UK and Australia and it will in our view give greater clarity on the wonders of carefully designed and created universe. There is indeed a creator of the heavens and the earth, a God whom we serve, an intelligent designer.
The ACDP agrees with the committees comment and this is incisive, why South Africa? This is a new day for Africa that after the few times that Africa was called a dark continent now that seems to be working to its advantage as the pristine clear skies and the radio s** are perfect for the SKA observatory in Karoo.
The project has yielded impressive economic benefits already for the area. Some 420 million has already been spent through construction of Meerkat and KAT7, some 7284 job opportunities have been created. So, why this convention? The convention is an intergovernmental organisation that is being created which will according to the officials be the best legal entity for this project as it will be implemented in terms of international binding law.
This has the benefit of diplomatic privileges and immunities to facilitate a project of this size. It will also assist with design policy such as procurement which is best suited for the project. Most importantly, in bid intergovernmental commitment at the highest political level hardly an imperialistic attitude or convention.
Certain attitudes were raised in the committee such as why New Zealand has withdrawn. Now in the case of New Zealand we understand it was due to budgetary constraints. The other question related to the removal of 133 000 hectares of land from farming and the question is whether tourism to the area will compensate for the loss of income from agriculture. This clearly needs to be closely monitored and one trusts that a project of this size will include and increase tourism to the area. Thank you. The ACDP will support this.
Hon House Chair, the obvious starting point in this debate is the Constitution which provides that international treaties, agreements and conventions bind the country subject to the parliamentary resolution. We have witnessed the signing of the Headquarters Agreement in Rome, Italy. Another obvious choice to anchor this discussion is the role that Minister Naledi Pandor and Minister Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane noticeably played in the course of the ensuing debate about mainstreaming innovation, science and technology in the African continent. The AIC can boldly say without any fear of contradiction that the ratification of this
Convention establishing the Square Kilometre Array Observatory by Parliament affirms the stellar role of those former Ministers.
The use of scientific evidence and appropriate technology for inclusive development would be very much appreciated. The Square Kilometre Array will govern the global SK radio and telescope project. Being part of this international initiative means that we are part of the world and we are getting deeper into Fourth Industrial Revolution. So, in conclusion, we wish to footnote the African Union Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa preamble which states that:
Strategy is designed to respond to the need of transforming Africa into knowledge-based and innovation-led society.
We support this report.
Hon Chairperson and hon members of the House, some may want to believe that this thing of stars and astronomy is a western one. However, the bright star
for me lies in a rather star-poor region and is prominent in the summer sky. It is called Ndemara the Sweetheart Star by the Shona and Ntshuna; and the Kiss Me Star by the Batswana. The visibility of this star was supposed to indicate the time for lovers to part before their parents discovered them.
So, as the ANC, we unequivocally appreciate the need to expose children and communities to science, technology and innovation, STI but acknowledge that although people experience and make use of STI in their daily lives, the widespread acceptance and usage of STI is often not realised by our communities and this is sometimes as a result of historical deprivation from access to the sciences. But today we, as South Africa, are in an intergovernmental organisation under international law - hon Paulsen - and host the core of high-frequency and mid-frequency dishes of what would be called the Square Array Observatory while Australia - by the way - hosts the lower-frequency antennas. So ...
IsiZulu:
Singaphezulu maqabane ...
English:
... as South Africa. It is our Southern dark and clear skies that have low radio interference that make us influential in this convention. It is our infrastructure networks of transport, power communications and a strong knowledge-based astronomy that make us, South Africa, influential in this convention. Hundreds of international doctorate researchers have already applied to be part of the activities at the location of the SKA in South Africa and many of them are also Africans and women.
As young people in our country contest the hegemony of western pedagogues in knowledge production and consumption, this opportunity provides immaculate platform for South Africa to be a global leading force in the knowledge researched, produced and consumed on the astrophysics and astronomy. As South Africa, we must seize the opportunity to produce world- leading astrophysicists through this observatory. With the Fourth Industrial Revolution being a big commitment of our government, we must seize the opportunity that the observatory brings for big data production.
The National Development Plan, NDP states that science, technology and innovation must play an increasing role in skills development, job creation and economic growth. Therefore, whilst we acknowledge the historic investments by the SKA through education and employment in the communities of the Northern Cape like Williston and Carnarvon, we must emphasise the importance of this sort of investment taking place while the observatory is put into place.
Our women and children across all races, genders, and ages must be at the forefront of what takes place at this observatory. Therefore, we support the report. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The mini-plenary session rose at 15:44. -----------------------