Naledi Pandor
The department’s budget for 2016/17 is R7.4 billion, which is the same as 2015/16. South Africa is not investing enough in science, technology and innovation. If we do not change this trend, we will be overtaken by nations that have less capacity and knowledge resources than we have. Our failure to address the funding of this sector is causing us to neglect several sectors that could offer South Africa talent, new products and real contributions to growth.
The Fluorochemical Expansion Initiative is one of the new industry projects that the department is driving. The aim is to expand the country’s fluorochemical industry through increased local beneficiation of the country’s reserves.
South Africa has the world’s largest reserves of fluorspar, with estimated reserves of 41 million tons. The country currently supplies about 10 percent of the fluoride requirements to the $16 billion (R262bn) per annum global fluorochemicals industry, but earns less than 0.5 percent of the revenue owing to the low levels of local beneficiation.
About 10 years ago the department began to invest in R&D competence with Pelchem SOC Ltd, a subsidiary of Necsa (SA Nuclear Energy Corporation). A multipurpose fluorination pilot plant was established in 2010.
Successful technology development would see Pelchem’s turnover increase from R200 million a year to almost R400m a year in 2019 and R1bn by 2025. Our strategic investment in developing a disruptive and novel technology to produce titanium metal powder continues. We have redesigned the pilot plant to restart test runs from October 2016.
Titanium powder is widely used in industries such as aerospace, medical applications, transport and chemical processing to create high-performance, lightweight parts. But the titanium powder has become even more important because of its use in 3D printing, which is establishing itself as an alternative mode of manufacturing.
Revenue of approximately $400m per annum is expected from the titanium powder production once the commercial plant is operational in 2023.
Another new home-grown industry is the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology Programme, which is already yielding results with the launch of prototypes in sectors like mining. These kinds of locally grown new industries hold the potential to create jobs by producing thousands of highly skilled graduates.
In 2015, I announced 20 new South African Research chairs (SARCHi) designated for women, as only 35 out of 150 chairs were held by women at the time. The department exceeded that target and 42 new research chairs were awarded, raising the percentage of women in SARCHi chairs from 23 percent to 39 percent. The SARCHi budget in 2016 is R404m.
In 2015, I announced that MeerKAT would be ready for science in 2016. I’m pleased to say that the first 16 MeerKAT antennae will be ready for science by June 30. There will be 21 antennae in place, but enough to allow scientists to begin research work. In 2016 we will spend R594m on the construction of MeerKAT (completing the 64 antennae) and R406m in providing for SKA project costs.
This year the department allocates R754m to fund 14 500 postgraduate students; black: 9 715 (67 percent), female: 8 265 (57 percent). The department is the largest funder of postgraduate students in the country.
The department also allocates R430m to research grants for 4 700 researchers; black: 1 739 (37 percent), female: 2 209 (47 percent). The R430m research grant funding is divided between emerging researchers (R208m) and established researchers (R222m).
I am pleased to report that, since the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act came into effect in 2010, the number of disclosures made by technology transfer agencies has tripled, with the number of patents being managed by these agencies doubling.
Since 2011 more than 1 000 disclosures have been received by the National Intellectual Property Management Office from institutions, of which 71 percent relate to inventions for patent protection. Of these, 61 have been licensed, with more than R4.4m in revenue accruing to the institutions. A comprehensive survey on the status of intellectual property and associated technology transfer at publicly financed institutions will be released this year.
Our International Co-operation and Resources branch has been allocated an amount of R124m to enhance our science diplomacy work. This is to support strengthening and managing the department’s dynamic and diverse portfolio of relations with a range of international partners.
The recently released OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) study highlighted that among Brics nations, South Africa ranked highest in terms of the percentage of scientific papers published by the country’s researchers with international authors, pointing to its status as a sought-after partner for an international STI partnership. Several major multinational companies like Pfizer, Nestlé and Hitachi have invested in research, innovation and human capital development activities in South Africa in partnership with the department. We are also an important strategic partner for major philanthropic organisations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has invested in programmes to harness STI for poverty alleviation.
South Africa participates successfully in competitive international research funding programmes. In the EU’s prestigious Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, South Africa’s success in terms of the number of projects involving the country’s researchers is, among countries outside Europe, bettered only by the US and Canada. South Africa continues to provide leadership in the science structures of organisations such as the AU and SADC.
The department led the preparation of the first Brics multilateral framework programme for collaborative research and innovation.
I would like to congratulate Kevin Govender on the 2016 Edinburgh Medal he received last month, from the International Astronomy Union, in recognition of the creation and practical establishment of the Office of Astronomy for Development in Cape Town.
I would also like to congratulate Professor Tebello Nyokong, of Rhodes University, and Professor Linus Opara, of Stellenbosch University, for winning the Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Award from the AU.
And I would like to congratulate the four South African-based scientists who are part of the Next Einstein Forum Fellows, a select programme that recognises 15 of Africa’s best young scientists and technologists – Alta Schutte, Amanda Weltman, Mohlopheni Jackson Marakalala and Tolullah (Tolu) Oni.
I’m pleased to report that the Department of Science and Technology is one of three national departments that achieved a clean audit for the 2014/2015 financial year. We hope to do as well in the next audit outcomes report.