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● 09.11.11

●● Cablegate: “Google Adopted Shuttleworth’s Ubuntu Software as its In-house Operating System.”

Posted in GNU/Linux, Google, Ubuntu at 10:22 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Summary: Goobuntu received a mention in diplomatic cables

IN A CABLE from Cablegate we found the claim that “Google adopted Shuttleworth’s Ubuntu software as its in-house operating system.” The cable is generally about the South African economy and wildlife, but that last bit from 2009 is relevant to us.

It is worth noting that Google claims to have almost dumped Windows entirely, even from all desktops. Here is the cable in its entirety.

VZCZCXRO8120

RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN

DE RUEHSA #1009/01 1391453

ZNR UUUUU ZZH

R 191453Z MAY 09

FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8520

RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

INFO RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 6863

RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0975

RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 9212

Hide header

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 PRETORIA 001009

DEPT FOR OES/PCI, OES/ENV, AND AF/S

DEPT PASS EPA/OIA,

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: SENV [Environmental Affairs], SOCI [Social Conditions], ETRD [Foreign

Trade], SF [South Africa],

SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICAN ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY MONTHLY

BRIEFINGS, MAY 2009

PRETORIA 00001009 001.2 OF 004

¶1. (U) Summary: This is the South African Environment, Science and

Technology Monthly Briefings Newsletter, May 2009, Volume 4, Number

5, prepared by the U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa.

Topics of the newsletter:

-- Scientists Develop New Carbon Emission Reduction Process

-- South Africa and Uganda Sign S&T Bilateral Agreement

-- South Africa Frogs Facing Extinction

-- Lion Park Forced Out by Development

-- Rare Orchid May Become Extinct

-- Environmental Group Calls for Investigation of Gauteng

MEC for Conservation

-- Municipal Health Service Sees Deterioration in Water Quality

-- Poor Water Quality Limits Business Growth

-- SANParks Opposes Mining Project at Mapungubwe

-- Monthly Factoid

Scientists Develop New Carbon

Emission Reduction Process

¶2. (U) Wits University Centre of Material and Process Synthesis

professors David Glasser, Diane Hildebrandt, Brendon Hausberger and

Bilal Patel, and Rutgers professor Benjamin Glasser have made a

breakthrough discovery that reduces carbon dioxide emissions from

the source and that can be applied to a range of processes. David

Glasser said that their research developed new techniques for

analyzing what causes emissions, and how to design processes to

reduce carbon dioxide emissions. He added that once these processes

are understood, it is "relatively simple to eliminate unnecessary

emissions and minimize the contributions from other sources."

¶3. (U) Glasser cited as an example a plant making liquid fuel from

coal. He said with their process the plant can reduce its overall

CO2 emissions by using CO2 and hydrogen as intermediaries. He noted

that the plant achieves higher emission reductions using CO2 and

hydrogen, even though this appears to be an inferior method.

Glasser added that there is a pilot plant running in China and a

demonstration plant in Australia, which incorporate these ideas.

Glasser said the technique can be applied to a number of different

processes, giving it a substantial impact on combustion processes.

The center at Wits has 40 post graduate students and about 20 full

time employees who are funded by industry.

South Africa and Uganda Sign

S & T Bilateral Agreement

¶4. (U) South Africa and Uganda signed a bilateral Science and

Technology Agreement on April; 16, 2009. The two countries will

jointly identify scientific and technological priorities and

consolidate resources. South Africa and Uganda have been

negotiating the agreement since 2006. Areas of cooperation include

bioscience, indigenous knowledge systems, environment and climate

change, energy research, innovation management capacity, information

technology, and human capital development. Uganda and South Africa

will continue their current joint efforts under the Group on Earth

Observation project. Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi

Mangena said that, over the past decade, South Africa's science has

been greatly enriched by collaborations with African counterparts.

South Africa Frogs Facing Extinction

¶5. (U) North-West University African Amphibian Conservation Research

Group Director Dr Louis du Preez warned that the South African frog

populations are rapidly decreasing. Du Preez, who is also the Head

Qpopulations are rapidly decreasing. Du Preez, who is also the Head

of the Green Trust Threatened South Africa Frog Project, is chairing

an effort to produce the first-ever conservation action plan for

South Africa's twenty-one threatened frog species. Du Perez noted

PRETORIA 00001009 002.2 OF 004

that the rapid decline in frogs is cause for alarm because frogs are

the thermometers of environmental health. He noted that frogs are

exposed to the complete range of air, water and land pollutants

since they live in both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Several South Africa frogs are restricted to small geographical

areas and the loss of their habitat has a devastating effect on

population numbers. The habitat of the Ghost Frog in the Elandsberg

Mountains, for example, has become a pine plantation. Pine needles

acidify the water in the stream areas where the frog lives. Du

Perez and two doctoral students recently discovered the first Ghost

Frog seen in years in the Elandsberg Mountain.

¶6. (U) Du Perez says the Elandsberg forestry companies are

collaborating with the Green Trust to conserve this frog, hiring a

fulltime ecologist and bringing in expensive equipment to 'pluck'

trees from the stream area where the frog lives." Another

endangered frog is Rose's ghost frog, a rare species found only on

Table Mountain, where it lives in streams and moist, forested

gorges. It is under threat from invasive plants, increasing numbers

of visitors and the high number of fires. The construction of more

water holding areas has taken away water from the streams where the

frogs' eggs and tadpoles develop. The Western Cape NGO 'Friends of

the Western Leopard Toad' is helping to conserve this threatened

species, which lives and breeds in the urban environment of the

Tokai/Muizenberg/Fishhoek. Western Leopards are frequently killed

by cars speeding on the roads. The Friends have erected toad

crossings that say: "Caution! Western Leopard Toads."

Lion Park Forced Out by Development

¶7. (U) Lions have ranged freely throughout Johannesburg's Lion Park

for forty-one years, but a high-density development is forcing the

Park to relocate. The new development will include 1528 residence

on various sized plots. Current residents question whether the

rural area's infrastructure will be able to handle this increased

capacity. Local resident Nicci Wright, an engineer, said that the

area is a wetland fed by natural springs, and that the proposed

sewage system locates its pump at the lowest point in the area. She

said when she questioned the effectiveness of this location she was

told that Randburg Water would handle all maintenance. Wright said

she knows of three pumps handled by Randburg that are currently out

of order and pumping raw sewage into the Klein Jukskei and

Hartebeespoort Dam. Developer Golder Associates Africa's

representative said that an extensive EIA was completed and all

environmental issues were addressed with sufficient mitigation

efforts. Lion Park Acting Manager advised that the staff and

animals would move after the FIFA World Cup in 2010 when their

contract officially expires. He noted that the Lion Park is no

longer in the rural areas as it used to be, and that "we are in the

middle of the suburbs now. It's not very nice."

Rare Orchid May Become Extinct

¶8. (U) The only known population of a rare wild orchid is threatened

by development plans near the Cradle of Humankind in Maropeng.

Conservationists say the orchid could become extinct. Black Eagle

Project spokesman Arthur Alberston added that endangered or

QProject spokesman Arthur Alberston added that endangered or

threatened animals such as caracal, jackals and leopards move

through the area and the development would interrupt their transit

paths. The application for this high-density residential and

business unit project is pending with the Gauteng Department of

Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (GDACE). Albertson says

the project violates several national and provincial regulations and

policies. If GDACE does grant the permit, the NGOs say they will

take legal action to stop the construction. GDACE, Mogale City and

the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens officials claim they

have been investigating the feasibility of establishing a

2,000-hectare reserve in the that areas which would safeguard the

orchid's habitat and allow restocking of wildlife.

Environmental Group Calls for Investigation

of Gauteng MEC for Conservation

¶9. (U) The Environmental and Conservation Association (ECA) has

filed a lawsuit seeing to overrule Gauteng MEC for Agriculture,

Conservation and Environment Khabsisi Mosunkuntu's decision to

permit permitting a new road through one of Gauteng's wetlands.

Various media reports have also raised questions about Mosunkuntu's

decision to overrule GDACE ruling that the road should not be built,

PRETORIA 00001009 003.2 OF 004

citing Musunkuntu's involvement with the developments seeking the

roadway. Gauteng Democratic Alliance Leader Jack Bloom submitted a

dossier detailing Mosunkuntu actions involving irregularities in

eight separate developments across the province to Gauteng premier

Mbhazima Shilowa last year. Bloom called for a commission to

investigate Mosumkuntu. ECA Chairman Nicole Barlow said the

wetland's road is yet another example of Mosumkuntu "sidestepping"

the law and making decisions contrary to GDACE's expert opinion.

Municipal Health Service Sees

Deterioration in Water Quality

¶10. (U) Tshwane municipal health service division tabled a report

before the Metro Council on May 1, 2009 describing the rapid

deterioration of the quality of water and food in the area. The

report contains findings by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC)

for the period July 1, 2005 to June 2008. Food and water samples

were taken and tested for compliance with the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics

and Disinfections Act. ARC samples included tap water, reservoirs,

bottled water, and water in tankers, boreholes, rivers and streams.

Food samples were taken from pasteurized milk, raw milk, dairy

products, juice and ice cream. ARC's findings indicated that 57% of

all water samples complied with legal requirements; 60% of bottled

water complied; 53% of food complied with legal requirements

regarding microbiological analysis (a six percent decline from

previous period; and that 63% of food complied with legal

requirements regarding chemical analysis (a 35% decline). The

report stated that there are serious personnel shortages in

municipal health services due to the council's alternative service

delivery (ASD) process.

Poor Water Quality Limits Business Growth

¶11. (U) Independent water expert Anthony Turton said South African

businesses growth could be constrained by the lack of clean water

resources. He added that business should stop the "blame game" and

act swiftly in partnership with the government to deal with the

threat. Turton said, "Business cannot sit idle any longer. We need

new partnerships between the government, organized business and the

national science councils to develop and resource a fresh strategic

vision." He advised business to see water as a business rick and to

form partnerships similar to those formed in response to crime.

Turton stated, "Companies must understand business risks in terms of

input, process and output and then develop mitigation strategies for

each of these sets of issues."

¶12. (U) Turton said the water problem SA faced was that of quality

and quantity, as well as demand and supply. He said, "By 2035 SA

will need 65-billion cubic kilometers of water and our current

national stock stands at 33-billion. Our problem is that we are

managing our water resources so badly, and are putting pressure on

available fresh water." Turton also suggested that the country's

water allocation reform process should ensure that industry - which

contributed about 80% of gross domestic product (GDP) but received

only about 20% of water allocation - should get more water at the

expense of agriculture, which received about 60% of water allocated

but only contributed about 2% to GDP . Turton resigned from the

Qbut only contributed about 2% to GDP . Turton resigned from the

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research last year after he

made controversial remarks about the implications of SA's water

situation on socioeconomic development.

SANParks Opposes Mining Project at Mapungubwe

¶13. (U) South African National Parks (SANParks) is challenging an

application for a R3 trillion mining operation to be established at

the entrance to the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site. SANParks

spokesperson Wanda Mkhutshulwa said on April 20, 2009 that SANParks

was opposed to the project because it threatened the environment

around Mapungubwe, particularly the quality of its water.

Mkhutshulwa noted that SANparks mandate is to ensure the environment

surrounding the national parks is protected. She stated, "From our

view, the mining project will have a negative impact on the water in

the park." Department of Minerals and Energy spokesperson Bheki

Khumalo stressed that the mining project was not a done deal.

Khumalo said, "After all objections have been registered and all

concerns considered the department will make a determination. We

are still months away from that."

¶14. (U) The proposed mining site is near the Limpopo River, which

forms the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The closest

PRETORIA 00001009 004.2 OF 004

town is Musina. The mine's western boundary is seven kilometers

east of the Mapungubwe National Park, and the coal processing plant

infrastructure would be twenty-seven kilometers from the Mapungubwe

World Heritage Site. The proposed colliery would have the potential

to produce five-million tons a year of coking coal, starting with

one-million tons a year and ramping up to full capacity by 2011.

The life-of-mine stretches beyond 2040. Independent Power Producer

(IPP) Mulilo Energy is considering constructing a power station in

the area, although CoAL said it was not reliant on the sale of coal

to the power station to make the project feasible. The power

station would ultimately produce about 900 MW, and initial designs

show that it would be located directly below the CoAL tenement area.

¶15. (U) The Mapungubwe National Park is a game reserve and home to

the archaeological treasure of Mapungubwe, a kingdom predating that

of Great Zimbabwe. Mapungubwe was the base of a trading empire that

traded with the people of China, India, Egypt and Persia, exchanging

ivory, gold around the year 1200. The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape

became South Africa's fifth World Heritage site in July 2003, and in

May 2004, it was officially announced as the Mapungubwe National

Park. The site was discovered in 1933, and is said to be where an

Iron Age metropolis was ruled by an African king almost one thousand

years ago. Mapungubwe National Park Manager Tshimangadzo Nehemani

said the Park had 26 000 visitors in 2007. A new interpretation

centre will open by the end of this year, allowing the public to

view the gold work uncovered at the site, including the world-famous

tiny golden rhino, a gold scepter and gold bowl.

¶16. (U) Coal of Africa (CoAL) Chief Operations Officer Riaan van der

Merwe stated in a community meeting that the project would create

14,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities during the

construction phase and 30,000 direct and indirect jobs during the

operational phase. Local business owners have complained that the

CoAL still has not addressed concerns raised at previous meetings,

including the need for an environmental impact assessment study on

how local roads would be affected by coal-hauling trucks and dust

from the coal. Mopane Bush Lodge Manager Paul Hatty said, "We have

such a beautiful environment here. The atmosphere is clean and all

of that will be wiped out by the coal business." Hatty added that

the lodge, which is seven kilometers from the proposed mine site,

drew over one hundred international visitors last year, all of whom

visited the heritage site. He said, "We will lose our clients as no

sane person will pay money to be swallowed by coal dust."

¶17. (U) Vhembe District Municipal Councilor Mapulanka Baloi welcomed

the proposal, saying it would benefit many people. He added that

the mine would create new levels of economic development and

employment and bring the province to a new level of prosperity. Van

der Merwe emphasized that CoAL would manage the mine in accordance

with mining environmental regulations. Hatty responded that "Even

with the best environmental controls, the environmental degradation

caused by coal mining, similar to that around Witbank, will kill any

hopes of growing tourism, both international and local, to this

prime pristine area of Africa." Local businesses and residents

also fear that if this project is approved, more coal mines would be

Qalso fear that if this project is approved, more coal mines would be

established in the area. Hatty said, "Anglo Coal has already

purchased four farms even closer to the National Park and Heritage

Site, and three other farms next to Mapungubwe Park entrance show

promising signs of exploitable coal."

Monthly Factoid

¶18. (U) In 2002 South African internet entrepreneur Mark

Shuttleworth, then age 28, became Africa's first astronaut. Three

years later Google adopted Shuttleworth's Ubuntu software as its

in-house operating system.

www.southafrica.info/about/414421.htm#innovat ions

LA LIME

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