The Western Cape Government (WCG) is embarking on a new project to build a data centre in Cape Town.
This is a joint initiative between the provincial government, the National Department of Science and Technology South Africa, the SKA SA (Square Kilometre Array), and the University of Cape Town, amongst others.
The facility is intended to serve as a host for the SKA’s computing and data storage requirements, as well as for others.
Western Cape MEC of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, says: “The facility will house the systems we need to process and store the data we receive from, among others, the SKA, who are key partners in the project. It’s also part of our focus on harnessing the power of real-time data to grow the economy and attract investment into the region.”
The WCG has put out a call to private sector players in the technology space requesting information on the best model for the centre, in terms of how it is built and operated.
Winde says he will receive advice from private sector experts before putting the final bid documents together. “The advice we receive will be used to inform the final tender or request for proposal documents. We aim to collect as much information as possible on the best model for the centre, before putting it out to tender later this year.
“There’s a deadline for SKA to move into the Centre by 2020, and we plan to move swiftly on this project. Our plan is to build a facility that is of a very high standard, taking the advice of experts into account.”
