# Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, says astronomy remains one of South Africa’s top priorities. He says the construction of the Square Kilometre Array in the Northern Cape is advancing, and it is expected to be completed by 2030. The total foreign direct investment in South Africa from the SKA Observatory member countries for the SKA Mid-Array will be 9.5-billion-rand. Nzimande says that of this amount, 3.2-billion-rand will be awarded to the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory and South African industry through construction contracts.
Minister Nzimande says astronomy remains one of the country’s top priorities