South African President Jacob Zuma has offered his support to negotiations with foreign partners for funding of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)
Government sources have revealed that the SKA project could draw in a broad investment to South Africa expected to run to US$2.5bn.
Zuma visited the site on 9 October 2012 for the first time since Africa won the SKA bid in May 2012. A major part of the project will be built in South Africa’s Karoo region, with Australia hosting the rest of the array.
“We have supported this fully because we understand that South Africa is at the cutting edge of science in the world,” Zuma said.
Science and technology minister Derek Hanekom said that the “bulk of the money will be coming from member countries of the SKA consortium”.
SKA project director Bernie Fanaroff said there was an expectation that telescope hosts South Africa, Australia, and Britain, which houses the project headquarters, should pay more.
Fanaroff said funding talks have always been a “big issue”.
“Everyone at this stage is in a situation of financial stringency... So it is a fairly intensive negotiation,” he said.
“The awarding of this project to South Africa is a major step in solidifying science and technology, not only in South Africa, but also in the African continent as well as across the globe.”
