Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina: Science and Innovation Dept Budget Vote 2024/25

Honorable Chairperson;
Honourable Members;
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Honourable Prof. Blade Nzimande;
Members of the Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, led by Honourable Chairperson, Tsakani Shiviti.
Acting Director-General of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Daan Du Toit.
Chairpersons and CEOs of the entities;
Officials of the Department of Science and Innovation;
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Chairperson, we table this Budget within the context of the new term of the 7th Administration of our Democracy. We stand here being encouraged by the strides that this Department has made over the previous terms of our Administration in building a National System of Innovation (NSI). Our inclusive science system accommodates all races and genders, as science is driven by the need for a better life; one in which we generate knowledge to drive the economy across several areas.

As part of this gender commitment, we will be intentional about women in science, technology and innovation. In this regard – Chairperson – allow me to recognize my special guest, Miss Senamile Masango, a Nuclear scientist, an alumni of the European organization for Nuclear Research called CERN, Non-Executive Board Director at SA Nuclear corporation called NECSA. She empowers women in the engineering and science field.

Chairperson, as a country, we must seek to avoid what Isaac Asimov, a Professor of Biochemistry in Boston University once said about society and science, that “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom”

I may as well add that innovation and ground-breaking disruptions are moving faster than society gathers wisdom. It is our responsibility as this Department that as we drive the imperative of science, technology advancement and innovation, that society is not left behind but proceed in tandem.

Science, technology and innovation must never be understood as for the specialized elite divorced from society that it finds itself.

Chairperson, our biggest aim is to strengthen actions targeting critical structural opportunities and challenges facing South African society that require data, research, thought leadership and policy experimentation.

Opportunities and challenges include persistently high levels of poverty and unemployment; the fact that our society remains one of the most unequal in the world; governance challenges, a maturing democracy, demographic shifts including a youth dividend, high-levels of crime including unacceptably high levels of gender-based violence. The above will be achieved through the establishment of National Research Institutes.

Chairperson, by investing in STI, the Department is focusing on enabling all stakeholders of our society to participate in ensuring that South Africa leads in its mandate of creating science for the good of society, to respond to key societal challenges especially climate change.

As part of this societal focus, South Africa plays a significant role in advancing the global knowledge base on climate change and environmental sustainability.

Honourable members, over the past two decades, a number of successful initiatives were put in place to facilitate the use of the available science for policy and action. Together with the Presidential Climate Change Commission, we will finalise the development of a medium-term climate change research and development roadmap.

In the face of rapid technological change, as well as other drivers, human society is undergoing fundamental and accelerated change. Such change is particularly significant in the educational system (both basic and post-school) as well as in workplaces. In the current financial year, the DSI in partnership with the Human Resource Development Council secretariat will finalise the scoping of a well-designed observatory and mobilise key users and role players.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, an Institute for Pandemic Preparedness and Response is now at an advanced stage of development.

Honourable members, Research plays a pivotal role in our society and to date, 276 Research Chairs have been awarded to universities and other research institutions have supported 16 Centres of Excellence (CoEs).

In addition to the above, the Department has introduced National Institutes for RDI (NIRDIs) to consolidate and enhance the RDI capacities emerging from the above CoE Research Chairs and other initiatives supported by the government. The NIRDIs forge close links with business and industry to improve interfaces between research and economic productivity.

Chairperson, consistent with our aims of mainstreaming Science to society as part of our decadal objectives, it is important to bridge the divide between science and society through taking science to the people.

Connected to the above societal commitment, the Department has conducted the South African Public Relationship with Science (SAPRS) Survey, which is a study to gauge science literacy in South Africa. The survey report will be officially launched and released to the public in a few months and will inform future programmes. Key to our decadal goals is human capital development and training. Working with the Higher Education and Training Department, in catalysing knowledge driven economy, we have been funding post-graduates’ students. To date, we have supported 12 000 PhD students and at the same time, supported 24 400 Honours and Master's students (Pipeline students). By these numbers, we have met a target that has been set for 2019-2024 period.

As a further commitment to funding innovation, Minister Nzimande announced the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) of R30 million, targeted at students (mainly youth) in TVET colleges and universities. This will support innovation and tech entrepreneurship at these institutions.

Honourable members, in this 7th Administration there is going to be a particular focus on skills development in various sectors that are strategic for DSI. The development of Skills will be prioritized in the catalytic Innovation areas such as the Energy Sector, for example skills needed for the implementation of the Hydrogen Society Roadmap and the development of Renewable Energy Sources.

The skills development in the Health Sector, would notably be in the vaccine manufacturing initiatives which includes supporting the country’s RDI capabilities to manufacture vaccines; in Bio-economy, skills development would be through the National Bio-security Hub which converges collaborative efforts to support the preventions, reduction and management of crop and animal diseases in South Africa.

The Department is finalizing the establishment of a Municipal Innovation Fund (MIF) to allow municipalities to apply for funding to implement technology and innovation projects identified by them that meet their requirements.

In addition, the DSI has piloted the Technology Acquisition and Deployment Fund (TADF), which aims to achieve inclusive development through strengthening the procurement and use of locally developed technologies by various government departments and municipalities.

Chairperson, Promotion of private sector Research & Development investment to boost innovation in the business sector is at the heart of our mandate. In stimulating this in the economy, the Department has established Research & Development tax incentive. This R&D tax incentive is an indirect business support instrument aimed at boost innovation in the business sector by improving capability for developing new products and improving existing ones.

To date, the above programme has processed almost 3 000 applications with an estimated R46 billion expenditure for supported R&D applications.

In line with global trends on innovation development and support, the DSI will be upscaling the pilot phase of Innovation Fund programme, which catalyses the creation and growth of the tech start-up and other small and medium enterprise (SME) sectors. As of March 2024, the Innovation Fund has over R917,2 million of investment capital committed to catalyse venture capital flow in the South African venture capital industry.

We are excited as the Department to have partnered with United Nations Women and Siemens in rolling out the African Girls' Can Code initiative (AGCCI) in South Africa. This initiative will help us in increasing numbers for young women getting into coding and related technology driven careers.

Chairperson, The Department continues to support BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation cooperation and putting science at the centre of economic growth.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Acting DG and his team, but more in particular I thank Minister Nzimande for his sterling leadership of the Department. We are looking forward to the 5 years of the 7th Administration in locating Science, technology and Innovation at the centre of driving economic growth and SMMEs for our country.

Thank you.