Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, has named South Africa’s first green technology science centre after struggle icon Mama Albertina Sisulu.
The science centre, which is located at the Cofimvaba village in the Eastern Cape, was unveiled to the local community on Wednesday and is billed as South Africa’s first state-of-the-art centre designed with green technologies.
“We have gathered here this afternoon to launch a brand new science centre and we do so in a celebratory mood.
“What is even more lifting is the fact that we celebrate the completion of this science centre in a rural community of Cofimvaba and it is named after one of our outstanding and leading leader of our country and the revolutionary movement our own Albertinah Nontsikelelo Sisulu. The centre took us five years to complete.
“We indeed turned our dream into a plan and then into a reality,” he said.
Also in attendance at the launch was Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.
Reacting to the launch of the Albertinah Sisulu Science Centre, the Tourism Minister called on the Cofimvaba Community and all institutions that have contributed to the construction, completion and running of the facility to use it to effect positive change.
“We gave you this name, through the Minister of Higher Education, with love. Ma Sisulu did not have much education beyond junior college but she longed to have gone through to higher levels.
“I wish for you to use this opportunity in her honour, in the honour of all of those heroes who come from this province, who come from this area, and make a difference in your lives and in the lives of this country,” she said.
The centre is the first in South Africa to be purpose-designed, with green science, technology and innovation used in the actual building.
The science centre has an off-grid power supply consisting of four renewable energy sources – photovoltaic panels, small-scale wind turbines, hydrogen fuel cells and a battery. Eskom power is available as a back-up.
The structure relies on rainwater harvesting and water recycling for its water supply. To achieve water independence, the toilets are connected to a closed-loop bio-based system that recycles its own water, and greywater is recycled through a constructed wetland.
Constructed using a light steel frame and insulated concrete composite, the building uses solar chimneys for heating and cooling.
The centre offers not only science awareness activities and exhibits on various themes, including space science and astronomy, but also a teacher training programme.
“Look after this asset, it is a very important asset. Make sure that when the name of this place is mentioned, people don’t hide their faces in shame, they look up to you.
“The Minister has indicated that he has not seen anything like this – it is a state-of-the-art technology,” Sisulu said.
The idea of building a science centre in Cofimvaba arose from the Technology for Rural Education and Development (Tech4RED) project, a partnership between the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) and the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.
The project was aimed at improving education in rural areas by piloting technological innovation for water and sanitation, energy, nutrition and health.
This science centre will be an educational facility that will house interactive exhibits and will use hands-on approach to enable people of Cofimvaba and the surrounding villages to experiment and engage with science.
Source: South African Government News Agency