Northern Cape Flourishes

Northern Cape Premier Sylvia Lucas wants to put the province on the global map.

- Albert Pule

In South Africa’s largest province, which also has the smallest population, one of the scientific world’s biggest projects is underway. 

And it is this project, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), that Northern Cape Premier Sylvia Lucas hopes will place the province prominently in the sight of the global community. 

The SKA Project is an international enterprise to build the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the world, and will be located in Africa and Australia. 

The SKA will be about 50 times more sensitive than any other existing radio telescope. 

The South African MeerKAT radio telescope, which is currently being built 90 km outside of the small Northern Cape town of Carnarvon, is a precursor to the SKA telescope and will be integrated into the mid-frequency component of SKA Phase 1.

Premier Lucas says the construction of the SKA in the Northern Cape will not only benefit science, but will put the province on the global map. 

Already the province is seeing the benefits of the SKA, which is one of 18 strategic infrastructure projects identified by the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission. 

About 422 people are working as a result of the SKA, through initial infrastructure projects. Fifty-four percent of these are young people, which shows that youth employment has been incorporated into the SKA and the MeerKAT.

In addition, over 800 people have been supported by skills development over the years ranging from postgraduate studies to artisanal skills that are being developed. 

The SKA is also attracting more tourists to the province and as a result there have been upgrades of roads and new lodges, and bed and breakfast establishments have been built.