SKA Project gets underway

The Square Kilometer Array Telescope (SKA) Organization recently announced that South Africa will build two of the three SKA telescope receivers while Australia will have the opportunity to build the third. Many pundits had put their money behind South Africa being chosen to build all three receivers due to the apparently high quality bid document submitted by the country in a collaborative submission together with other SADC countries. Questions have now arisen as to the reasons why the SKA Organization split the build responsibility between South Africa and Australia. One of the answers is that the SKA Organization simply wanted to spread its risk, such that if one country failed to deliver the goods, the project would still go ahead, even if partly so. 

The building of the receivers is expected to create many jobs in South Africa where the adult unemployment rate is at a shocking 25%. Ultimately, the SKA project is about the building of the world's biggest telescope and the building of the receivers is the first steps towards the building of the actual telescope. 

What recession

No doubt that South Africa’s unemployment rate, at just over 25%, is very high. No doubt that the country’s inflation rate of 6% is relatively high. No doubt that major economies in Europe, such as Britain, Italy and Greece are experiencing a recession, some more severe than others.

Does all this therefore mean South Africa itself is experiencing a recession? The answer is an absolute NO. The last time South Africa experienced negative GDP growth was in the third quarter of 2009, when the economy shrunk by 2.8%. From quarter four of 2009, to-date, South Africa’s GDP has been growing quarter-on-quarter. What’s more Stats SA projects that South Africa’s GDP will grow by at least 3.2% in 2012. Yes, the rest of the world may be in economic quagmire, but it certainly does not mean that this great country of ours is in a recession. For the most part, South Africa is indeed thriving.

Elections everywhere.

The United Nations Security Council has five permanent member states and in 2012 three of the five states hold general elections to choose their head of state. Russia has already elected Vladimir Putin as President, France has just elected Francois Hollande as new President to replace Nicolas Sarkozy. Of course the most anticipated election result is in the US where President Obama will fight, against a Republican candidate, to keep Democrats in office. The US goes to polls in November.


“The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security.” The change in leadership in Russia is not expected to have a major impact on UN’s politics. However, given the ideological differences between Socialist, Francois Hollande and Conservative, Sarkozy, France could bring about a different flavor to the politics of the UN, especially within the Security Council. One area where France under its new President, could exert its influence could be in the appointment of the UN Secretary General. The five-year term of incumbent Ban Ki-moon ends later this year. The UN General Assembly chooses the Secretary General based on recommendations made by the Security Council. The people of the United States of America have yet to decide on their President and the outcome of that US general elections may add further complexity to the role f UN Secretary General. 


Interestingly, South Africa is currently a member of the UN Security Council and the country's membership ends on 31 December 2012.