Transformation Summit opens with consensus on the need for change in the national system of innovation
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, lamented apartheid policies that excluded the black majority from acquiring the necessary technical and scientific education that was required to engage in high-level science, technology, innovation (STI) and commerce.
Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural National System of Innovation (NSI) Transformation Summit on 13 March, the Minister said the exclusion of the black majority from mathematics and science education has resulted in, among other issues, a distorted distribution of critical skills and knowledge, mainly along racial, class, gender and spatial lines.
"The racist white minority regime used the public science system to advance its oppressive agenda of entrenching white power and excluding the black majority from opportunities," the Minister said.
More than 250 delegates from the STI sector including experts, policymakers and academia attended day one of the summit, which seeks to address the slow pace of transformation of the NSI.
The Minister said that the summit should strategically reflect on the long-term policy documents, including the 2019 White Paper on STI, which identifies inclusivity, transformation and partnerships as core themes and proposes a range of actions to address policy coherence, the development of human resources, knowledge expansion, innovation and increased investment.
"As an implementation instrument, our 2022 Decadal Plan for STI seeks to address the need to develop South Africa's innovation capacity, build and transform STI human resources, strengthen and transform the research enterprise and expand partnerships and linkages through science diplomacy," said the Minister.
Prof. Nzimande called on delegates to consider the transformation of the NSI along a number of dimensions, including social inclusion (including people with disabilities in the NSI); Africanisation and indigenous knowledge in the NSI, highlighting the role of grassroots community networks,; the political economy of science and technology in South Africa; public trust in science and technology; the progress of social and cultural transformation within the NSI; knowledge production and its social relations; NSI and the agendas of Africa and the Global South; and the new geopolitical challenges faced by South African STI.
The Minister said that he expected the summit to adopt a declaration that will not only serve as a pact for action but will also be used to measure the progress of the implementation of the summit's recommendations in the next 10 years.
Gauteng Premier, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, also addressed the delegates, lauding the summit as important for development as STI can serve as a catalyst for a more inclusive, equitable, sustainable and prosperous world for all. Premier Lesufi said that Gauteng has prioritised digital transformation.
"The provincial government has recognised the imperative to embrace new technologies and innovations, both in response to the evolving demands of residents and to ensure high quality, relevant and cost-effective service delivery to all the people of our province," said the Premier.
Mr Lesufi said that, given that innovation plays an important role in driving future growth, the province is seeking to accelerate policy efforts aimed at strengthening its NSI systems.
"These efforts include the introduction of broad measures to improve performance in areas like research and development, education, entrepreneurial activity and knowledge flows – all of which are key determinants for innovative activity," he added.
The Premier concluded that, through harnessing the power of STI we can jumpstart our economy for growth, development and inclusivity and launch our nation into the 21st century without limping through the stages first taken by developed countries.
Issued by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation.
