Despite scorching temperatures in Pretoria this week, large crowds flocked to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) International Convention Centre to attend this year's Science Forum South Africa (SFSA).

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), Prof. Blade Nzimande opened the 2024 SFSA on Tuesday, 3 December 2024.

Hundreds of people packed the auditorium for the opening of the ninth SFSA.  The Minister thanked the delegates for their continued support of the forum and said that a critical part of SFSA is the strengthening and creation of local, regional and international science networks and partnerships.

Co-hosted by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the Science Diplomacy Capital for Africa initiative, this year's event focuses on climate change, food security, health care and energy challenges.

With the many crises facing the world today, the interface between science and society has never been more important.  Taking place under the theme "Igniting Conversations About Science – Innovation and Science for Humanity", the event draws together the scientific community, government, industry and civil society for discussions on the role of science in society. 

"We are witnessing some of the most breathtaking technological innovations in such areas as information and communication technologies, biotechnology and personalised medicine, generative artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, robotics and automation, blockchain and decentralised technologies, and others," said Minister Nzimande.

The Minister said, however, that, while the world is rapidly advancing, inequality is increasing.  

"It is a disturbing fact that we also live in one of the most unequal times in human history.  All credible inequality indices point to the fact that about 10% of the world's population owns over 70% of the world's wealth; and that this same 10% also takes over 50% of the global income and is responsible for over 40% of global carbon emissions."

According to the Minister, platforms like the SFSA can help develop concrete ideas on how to successfully transform the relations of inequality within our continent, its place in a changing global order, and the very nature of that global order.

SFSA 2024 is also taking place as South Africa celebrates 30 Years of Freedom.  The Minister said that since democracy, South Africa has made key advances in science, technology and innovation – which were particularly significant during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was African scientists, here in South Africa, who first identified and sequenced the genome of a new and virulent SARS-CoV-2 variant, later named 501Y.V2."

This pioneering work gave the global pandemic management community crucial time to put in place measures to control its spread and to develop new vaccines and therapies.

"This work was largely funded by our DSTI and based at our public universities and science councils who are fully committed to open science and science for the public good," said the Minister.

The CEO of the CSIR, Dr Thulani Dlamini, echoed these sentiments in his welcoming remarks, saying science is more than just a pursuit of knowledge, it is a powerful tool that has the potential to shape the future of humanity.

"Science, when applied with wisdom and empathy, becomes a means for social, economic, and environmental progress that benefits not only the present but also generations to come," said Dr Dlamini.

The crowds continued to pour in with day two equally packed for the keynote address delivered by former Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Naledi Pandor.

Dr Pandor celebrated the country's progress in building a world-class and impactful science system.

The development of STI in South Africa has marked steady advances in palaeontology, astronomy, biotechnology, laser science and AI.

"One of the best decisions made by newly democratic South Africa in 1994 was to create a department dedicated to science, technology, arts, and culture.  As this democracy matured an even more insightful decision was adopted – a fully-fledged department of science and technology."

This year's programme featured three plenary lectures and 68 sessions involving leading South African and international scientists, experts and thought leaders.  There was also an exhibition featuring key institutions and partners in the national system of innovation.