The Act gives the Minister of Science and Technology the power to declare astronomy advantage areas in order to ensure that large-scale and globally important astronomy facilities are protected from developments that might interfere with their research activities.

The benefits of the legislation include the protection of large-scale investments already made in astronomy; the preservation of an environment for a global astronomy hub that will continue to attract international investment; and the provision of a competitive advantage to help South Africa become the preferred host of the full Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in the Northern Cape province, also home to SALT – the Southern African Large Telescope – the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere.

To do this, the Act provides for ‑

–        developing the skills, capabilities and expertise of those engaged in astronomy and related scientific endeavours in Southern Africa;

–        identifying and protecting areas in which astronomy projects of national strategic importance can be undertaken;

–        the declaration and management of astronomy advantage areas;

–        providing a framework for the establishment of a national system of astronomy advantage areas to ensure that geographic areas highly suitable for astronomy and related scientific endeavours – owing, for example, to their high atmospheric transparency, low levels of light pollution, low population density or minimal radio frequency interference – are protected, preserved and properly maintained; and

–        enhancing the country's geographic advantage by restricting activities that cause or could cause light pollution or radio frequency interference, or might interfere in any other way with astronomy and related scientific endeavours in these areas.

“This marks a tremendous boost for our international bid to host the SKA, which is likely to be the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the next two decades, consisting of thousands of dishes between 10 and 15 metres in diameter,” said Dr Bernie Fanaroff, project manager of South Africa's bid to host the SKA.

For more information visit:

www.dst.gov.za or www.ska.ac.za

or contact:

Nhlanhla Nyide, Chief Director: Communication, Department of Science and Technology, at +27 (0)82 871 6767 or Nhlanhla.Nyide@dst.gov.za

or

Kristin Klose, Director: Communication, Department of Science and Technology, at +27 (0) 82 902 9503 or Kristin.Klose@dst.gov.za.