The quest to construct the largest radio telescope (Square Kilometre Array) in Africa, for Africa and by Africa has progressed. Government ministers from several member states affiliated to the African SKA Ministerial Forum met in Pretoria on 25 March 2015 to discuss this progress, with phase 1 design underway and plans to establish an international treaty organisation by 2017 to oversee construction of the first phase in 2018.

Addressing delegates from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia, South Africa's minister of science and technology Naledi Pandor confirmed that a MoU had been signed by BRICS members to facilitate collaboration on science and technology, among other areas of interest.

"BRICS, recognising the importance of the SKA, has designated South Africa to lead cooperation in the area of astronomy. China and India are already active partners in the SKA project, and Brazil and the Russian Federation have expressed their strong interest to be involved... These are important developments for the continent as we prepare to host the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope."

The Minister added that the first phase of the SKA, representing a capital investment of €650 million, consisting of two complimentary instruments – one in Australia and one in South Africa – is now defined.

"The construction of the world's largest radio telescope will take place in two phases. In phase 1 about 200 parabolic antennas will be erected in South Africa, while Australia will have more than 100 000 dipole antennas, which resemble television aerials. Phase 2 will extend the array into other African countries, with the Australian component also being expanded.

We are confident that the construction of the SKA will start in 2018, and it is predicted that early science observations will be made in 2020."

Big data spin-off

Big data and human capital development have been singled out as the most significant socio-economic spin-offs from the SKA Project and related initiatives.

SKA project directors and other collaborators are keen to tap into what is touted as 'the next trillion dollar industry by 2020'.

The idea is to train and skill the continent's future scientists on astronomy data research and processing, specifically in line with the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (SITSA) programme.

"We hope that, through human capital development, innovation, value addition and industrialisation in alignment with STISA, we will be able to uplift large sections of Africa's people. Diversifying our economies and broadening our sources of growth and sustenance will help us to address poverty and foster both social transformation and economic competitiveness on the continent. As an excellent vehicle for human capital development, as well as for innovation key technologies such as the ICT sector, and most notably for the big data economy, SKA Africa has a key role to play in supporting the implementation of STISA," said the Minister.