Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Beijing’s chip champions blacklisted by Taiwan

      16 June 2025

      The little-known company disrupting Eskom’s monopoly

      16 June 2025

      Chief sub-editor wanted – help shape South African tech media

      16 June 2025

      Public money, private plans: MPs demand Post Office transparency

      13 June 2025
    • World

      Yahoo tries to make its mail service relevant again

      13 June 2025

      Qualcomm shows off new chip for AI smart glasses

      11 June 2025

      Trump tariffs to dim 2025 smartphone shipments

      4 June 2025

      Shrimp Jesus and the AI ad invasion

      4 June 2025

      Apple slams EU rules as ‘flawed and costly’ in major legal pushback

      2 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025

      South Africa unveils big state digital reform programme

      12 May 2025

      Is this the end of Google Search as we know it?

      12 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025

      TCS+ | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi

      6 June 2025

      TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact

      4 June 2025

      TCS | Sentiv, and the story behind the buyout of Altron Nexus

      3 June 2025

      TCS | Signal restored: Unpacking the Blue Label and Cell C turnaround

      28 May 2025
    • Opinion

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025

      Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

      29 May 2025

      Solar panic? The truth about SSEG, fines and municipal rules

      14 April 2025

      Data protection must be crypto industry’s top priority

      9 April 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » In-depth » SA wins lion’s share of SKA

    SA wins lion’s share of SKA

    By Craig Wilson25 May 2012
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    SA will host the largest part of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, science & technology minister Naledi Pandor said on Friday.

    An SKA committee met in the Netherlands on Friday to decide whether SA or Australia (with New Zealand) would get to host the core site of the project. The committee has decided that the telescope will be shared between SA and Australia. Australia will host one of the three major portions of the project, with SA set to host the bulk of it.

    The committee says the split in no way compromises the science that will be done. It will, however, increase the cost. There may be advantages to using both sites during the first phase of the project due to the work that has been done by both Australia and SA in preparing their respective bids.

    The project, worth an estimated US$2bn, is expected to attract researchers and scientists from across the globe and winning the bid was expected to increase human capital in the winning region in addition to the economic injection.

    A decision was expected in April but was delayed when the SKA committee decided it needed more time to deliberate and examine the investments made by each of the candidates.

    SA partnered with Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia to host the 3 000 antennas that will make up the SKA. Half of these were be located in the Karoo, with the rest spread up to 3 000km away.

    One of the three main telescopes will be hosted in Australia, with the bulk of the project to be hosted in Africa. Pandor says she is “ecstatic” about the decision.

    “I’m happy for the country and I’m happy for Africa. Of course you want everything, but I think getting three quarters is pretty good,” she adds.

    Pandor says all African partner countries will still have dishes located in them. To date, the project has been managed from Manchester in the UK and the minister says that will continue for the time being, but will be taken under review.

    The low-frequency aperture antennae to be used in the first phase will be built in Australia. Almost the entire second phase will be built in Africa.  — (c) 2012 NewsCentral Media



    bigpicture Naledi Pandor SKA Square Kilometre Array
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleMax Payne 3: poetry in slow motion
    Next Article Will Axis turn Yahoo?

    Related Posts

    SA scientists want Musk’s Starlink out of their space

    2 June 2025

    Astronomy Olympics is being hosted in Africa for the first time

    7 August 2024

    Canada to invest R3.7-billion in SKA telescope project

    5 June 2024
    Company News

    Huawei Watch Fit 4 Series: smarter sensors, sharper design, stronger performance

    13 June 2025

    Change Logic and BankservAfrica set new benchmark with PayShap roll-out

    13 June 2025

    SAPHILA 2025 – transcending with purpose, connection and AI-powered vision

    13 June 2025
    Opinion

    Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

    2 June 2025

    South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

    2 June 2025

    Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

    29 May 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.