DSTI delivers strong results despite challenges in latest quarterly report

The quarterly report of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), presented to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee (PPC) on 24 March 2026, paints a picture of significant progress in expanding the country’s research capabilities and fostering innovation.

Ms. Gugulethu Zwane, DSTI's Deputy Director-General for Institutional Planning and Support (IPS), who spoke on behalf of the Director-General, told members of the PPC that one of the quarter's highlights was the Cabinet's approval of the Open Science Policy, which is intended to promote, facilitate, and enable open science while taking into account existing policies, practices, and legislation and protecting privacy and consent.

Beyond local borders, South Africa continues to lead on the global stage. The Department successfully hosted the Ocean20 Summit as part of the South African G20 Presidency, focusing on a sustainable and equitable ocean economy.

Through its approval South Africa will facilitate equality of opportunity within its National System of Innovation (NSI), and through the democratisation of knowledge, enhance opportunities for environmentally sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development through the scientific research endeavour.

This was complemented by a major win in international diplomacy, South Africa was re-elected to chair the UNESCO Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Intergovernmental Council for the 2026/27 term, reaffirming global confidence in the country's leadership in advancing evidence-based social policy, human development and inclusive growth.

Through collaboration with the UK High Commission, five South African DSTI officials participated in the Global AI Governance Training Programme. “The programme contributes to strengthening national capacity in AI governance, which is a priority area between South Africa and the UK, and enhances policy coherence in emerging technologies”, highlighting DDG Zwane.

These international engagements were further strengthened by the formal implementation of the SKA Treaty Visa Framework. The first batch of visas was approved in September 2025, marking the formal transition away from short-term section 11(2) visas. The second batch of applications, submitted in October 2025 with DSTI endorsement letters issued on 21 October 2025, reflecting continued operationalisation of the framework.

“This intervention, alluded DDG Zwane has stabilised personnel deployment for the SKA-Mid and MeerKAT Extension projects, reduced administrative delays and mitigated construction, cost, and reputational risks, with all new and renewal SKA-related applications now processed under the Treaty Visa regime”.

At a grassroots level, the DSTI reported tangible outcomes in skills development and community upliftment. Through various funding instruments, 60 grassroots innovators were supported to commercialise their technology products, while the department’s demonstrator models created 26 jobs or income opportunities.

One of them is the Grassroots Innovation Programme, an initiative of the DSTI that is implemented by its entity, the Technology Innovation Agency, to support inventors and innovators who may lack formal education or access to formal innovation facilities.

Its goal is to identify and support innovators who use local resources and capabilities to solve local challenges. It offers a multi-tiered support package, including technical assistance, funding and incentives. The TIA also partners with public and private institutions to provide additional support.

The Department also made strides in building the country’s future workforce. A total of 6,050 postgraduate students received bursaries and internships through the National Research Foundation, with a strong focus on transformation: 5,434 of these beneficiaries were Black South Africans, and 3,370 were Black women.

On the infrastructure front, the launch of a new Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) facility in Pretoria by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research promises to boost local manufacturing. The facility enhances the strength and durability of metal components, reducing South Africa’s reliance on overseas processing, and boosting competitiveness in sectors like aerospace, automotive, and mining.

Funded by the DSTI, the facility uses heat and pressure to create high-performance parts through powder fusion and also serves as an essential post-processing step after additive manufacturing, to help remove residual powders and air pockets.

In response to service delivery challenges, the City of Cape Town, in collaboration with the Water Research Commission (WRC) and DSTI, officially handed over the NEWGenerator Off-grid Sanitation system to the OR Tambo informal settlement in Khayelitsha. The NEWGenerator is a reliable, low-cost, and off-grid technology developed by the University of South Florida and field-tested in South Africa.

The DSTI is actively involved in this initiative, particularly through the Water Research Commission's (WRC) SASTEP (South African Sanitation Technology Enterprise Programme), which serves as a catalyst for local manufacturing of these technologies, thereby creating local economic opportunities and jobs.

“This is a significant milestone within SASTEP's informal settlements sanitation demonstration programme, one of three sub-programmes under the demonstration platform along with school and rural sanitation initiatives”, said Zwane.

The DSTI has maintained momentum, achieving 92.5% of its planned targets for the third quarter. Out of 40 total targets, 37 were successfully met, reflecting a high level of operational efficiency across its various programmes. This performance is backed by a solid financial foundation.

In addition, the Department achieved an unqualified audit opinion for the previous financial year and continues to pay 100% of its invoices within an average of just seven days.

However, the department did miss three of its quarterly targets. Two of these were related to the reporting of innovation products where reports from implementing agencies like the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) arrived after the DSTI’s internal deadlines. The third was a persistent challenge in meeting the 4% target for representation of people with disabilities in the department’s own workforce, largely due to a compensation budget that has frozen new appointments.

To address these issues, the DSTI is reviewing contracts with implementing agencies to align reporting timeframes and is revising its organisational structure to prioritise critical positions, with a specific focus on recruiting people with disabilities once funding is secured.