Name: South African Geodesy Working Group (SAGWG) - Workshop 1
Start: 2025-10-01T08:15:00+02:00
End: 2025-10-02T16:30:00+02:00
Location: South African Astronomical Observatory

South African Geodesy Working Group (SAGWG) - Workshop 1

from Wednesday, 1 October 2025 (08:15) to Thursday, 2 October 2025 (16:30)

Monday, 29 September 2025
Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Wednesday, 1 October 2025

08:15 Registration and Refreshments
Registration and Refreshments
08:15 - 09:00
Room: Auditorium

09:00 Refreshment break
Refreshment break
09:00 - 09:30
Room: Auditorium
09:30 Part 1
Part 1
09:30 - 11:00
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

09:30 Welcome & Setting the scene - Charles Mokonoto (DSTI) Siyabonga Mdubeki (DLRRD)

09:45 What is Geodesy and Why is It Important? - Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development)

10:00 The Geodesy Ecosystem (Globally, Locally, and Regionally) - Patrick Vorster (DLRRD, NGMS, CDNGI)

10:15 UN-GGCE: 1st Joint Development Plan (JDP) - Nicholas Brown (United Nations)

10:30 Towards a SAGWG and GGOS Africa: Building local and regional capacity - Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)

10:45 Panel Discussion / Q&A - Setting the Scene 1 - Roelf Botha (SARAO)
11:00 Part 2
Part 2
11:00 - 12:30
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

11:00 Lightning update: DSTI - Hubert Mathebula (DSTI)

11:10 Lightning update: DLRRD - Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development)

11:25 Lightning update: SARAO - Roelf Botha (SARAO)

11:40 Lightning update: SANSA - Jon Ward (SANSA)

11:55 Lightning update: CSI - Maroale CHAUKE (DEPARTMENT OF LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT)

12:10 Panel Discussion / Q&A - Lightning updates - Siphiwe Mphuthi (University of Cape Town)
12:30 Lunch
Lunch
12:30 - 13:30
Room: Auditorium
13:30 Part 1
Part 1
13:30 - 15:00
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

13:30 Towards a National Strategy for Geodesy in SA - Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)

13:45 Establishment and Structure of the SAGWG - Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development)

14:00 Laying the Foundations for GGOS Africa - Jack Radcliffe (University of Manchester)

14:15 Panel Discussion / Q&A - Foundations - Jon Ward (SANSA)

14:30 Breakout Session - Foundations - Jon Ward (SANSA)
15:00 Refreshment break
Refreshment break
15:00 - 15:30
Room: Auditorium
15:30 Part 2
Part 2
15:30 - 16:00
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

15:30 Feedback from breakout session - Foundations (1) - Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development)

15:45 What We Heard → What We’ll Do - Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)
16:10 Poster: Geodesy landscape and ecosystem - Patrick Vorster (DLRRD, NGMS, CDNGI) Roelf Botha (SARAO) Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)
Poster: Geodesy landscape and ecosystem
- Patrick Vorster (DLRRD, NGMS, CDNGI)
- Roelf Botha (SARAO)
- Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)
16:10 - 16:30
Room: Auditorium
16:30 Poster IAG Infrastructure - Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa) Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development) Jack Radcliffe (University of Manchester) Roelf Botha (SARAO) Paul Baki
Poster IAG Infrastructure
- Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)
- Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development)
- Jack Radcliffe (University of Manchester)
- Roelf Botha (SARAO)
- Paul Baki
16:30 - 16:50
Room: Auditorium
Thursday, 2 October 2025

08:30 Arrival and refreshments
Arrival and refreshments
08:30 - 09:00
Room: Auditorium
09:00 Welcome, Recap & Objectives For the Day - Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)
Welcome, Recap & Objectives For the Day
- Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)
09:00 - 09:05
Room: Auditorium
09:05 Part 1
Part 1
09:05 - 10:30
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

09:05 Pillar 3: Infrastructure & Operations - Roelf Botha (SARAO)

09:20 Pillar 5: Data, Standards & Open Access - Patrick Vorster (DLRRD, NGMS, CDNGI)

09:35 Pillar 6: Reference Systems & Regional Frames - Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development) Siphiwe Mphuthi (University of Cape Town)

09:50 Panel Discussion / Q&A - Infrastructure (3), Standards (5) and Systems (6) - Mulemwa Akombelwa (UKZN)

10:05 Breakout Session - Infrastructure (3), Standards (5) and Systems (6) - Mulemwa Akombelwa (UKZN)
10:30 Refreshment break
Refreshment break
10:30 - 11:00
Room: Auditorium
11:00 Part 2
Part 2
11:00 - 11:20
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

11:00 Feedback from breakout session - Infrastructure (3), Standards (5) and Systems (6) - Roelf Botha (SARAO)
11:20 Part 1
Part 1
11:20 - 12:30
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

11:20 Pillar 7: People (HCD) - Mulemwa Akombelwa (UKZN) Patroba Odera (University of Cape Town) Siphiwe Mphuthi (University of Cape Town)

11:35 Pillar 2: Advocacy & Comms - Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)

11:45 Panel Discussion / Q&A - Advocacy and Comms (2), People (7) - Hubert Mathebula (DSTI)

12:00 Breakout Session - Advocacy and Comms (2), People (7) - Hubert Mathebula (DSTI)
12:30 Lunch
Lunch
12:30 - 13:30
Room: Auditorium
13:30 Part 2
Part 2
13:30 - 13:50
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

13:30 Feedback from breakout session - Advocacy and Comms (7), People (2) - Siphiwe Mphuthi (University of Cape Town)
13:50 Part 1
Part 1
13:50 - 15:00
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

13:50 Pillar 4: Spectrum Protection - Selaelo Matlhane (South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)) Tebogo Mashile (Department of Science Technology and Innovation)

14:00 Pillar 8: R&D & Next-Gen Supply Chain - Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa) Nandi Mtethwa (The Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS)) Roelf Botha (SARAO)

14:15 Panel Discussion / Q&A - Spectrum protection (4) and R&D (8) - Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development)

14:30 Breakout Session - Spectrum protection (4) and R&D (8) - Aslam Parker (Department of Land Reform and Rural Development)
15:00 Refreshment break
Refreshment break
15:00 - 15:30
Room: Auditorium
15:30 Part 2
Part 2
15:30 - 15:50
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

15:30 Feedback from breakout session - Spectrum protection (4) and R&D (8) - Aletha de Witt (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), South Africa)
15:50
15:50 - 16:30
Room: Auditorium
Contributions

15:50 Summary, Highlights of Workshop, and Way Forward - Siyabonga Mdubeki (DLRRD) Siyabonga Mdubeki (DLRRD)

16:15 Close & communiqué - Takalani Nemaungani (DSTI)