South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) is to establish an astronomy subagency within the National Research Foundation (NRF) as soon as possible. This step is intended as an interim measure aimed at maintaining – and, ideally, strengthening – the growth now being experi- enced by astronomy in the country.
Currently, South Africa has a number of astronomy centres and national and international programmes and projects – the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) which includes the Southern African Large Telescope (Salt), the Hartebeeshoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), Square Kilometre Array South Africa (SKA SA), which includes the MeerKAT project and KAT-7, the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Network and the Cherenkov Telescope Array. Astronomy is classified as a national flagship initiative, in alignment with the Areas of Geographic Advantage concept (incorporated in the DST’s 2002 National Research and Development Strategy).
Hitherto, there has been no single institution overseeing the country’s astronomy activities. “This [subagency] approach will provide a platform for South African astronomy to mature as an enterprise, while longer-term decisions about its optimal governance and suitable arrangements can be made in line with the unfolding national and international commitments and obligations (Salt, SKA, African VLBI Network, Cherenkov Telescope Array) and relevant domestic circumstances,” stated the DST in a communiqué issued on April 2.
The decision to create the subagency was taken at a meeting held on March 12, involving Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom, senior DST officials and the directors of the NRF, the national astronomy institutions, SKA SA and an advisory body designated the Astronomy Desk. The Astronomy Desk had been set up in late 2011 to advise the Minister and the DST on a governance model for the science in South Africa, the development of a long-term multiwavelength astronomy strategic plan for the country and human capacity development for astronomy.
The meeting reviewed the recommendations of the Astronomy Desk and the possibility of the creation of a national astronomy agency was debated but, for the moment, rejected. “The meeting was informed by the Minister and DST officials that prevailing economic conditions and fiscal realities were not conducive to the establishment of new agencies at present,” reported the DST communiqué. “Establishing a new agency would require additional resources and incur overhead costs in terms of establishing appropriate financial, human resource, reporting and other compliance processes and procedures required from all publicly funded entities.” It would also represent a major distraction, for a significant time, from core astronomical objectives. “On the other hand,” assured the DST, “the longer-term establishment of a dedicated astronomy agency was also seen to be a logical corollary of the stature of the astronomy project in South Africa and Africa, and the role of astronomy in South Africa’s international scientific profile.”
Hence, it was decided to create the subagency within the NRF. This will require the NRF to create the post of Deputy CEO: Astronomy, which will be part of the NRF corporate executive and be the ‘NRF anchor point’ for liaison with institutions outside the foundation, in particular the DST. The subagency will make use of the NRF’s shared corporate services, such as finance, governance and human resources, thereby limiting overhead costs. Fiduciary responsibility for the subagency will be vested with the NRF board. In addition, an independent astronomy advisory board (AAB) will be set up. This will represent the country’s astronomy community and advise the Deputy CEO: Astronomy and the NRF board. Both the chairperson of the AAB and the Deputy CEO: Astronomy will be standing observers on the NRF board (like other senior NRF managers).

“The roles and responsibilities, and the organisational structure of the subagency will be informed by the work done by the Astronomy Desk on the astronomy agency,” observed the DST. SKA SA will continue to operate as a project within the subagency.