Programme Directors, Professors Gillian Arednse and Ms. Zai Khan;
The Honourable Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms Nomalungelo Gina;
My Special Advisor, Mr Nqaba Nqandela; Our Science Expert, Dr Derrick Swartz;
The NSTF Chairperson, Prof Jeffrey Mphahlele;
Last year, I announced the departure of our former Director-General, Dr Mjwara, who was going to take up the position of Ambassador Extraordinaire for Science at UNESCO.
Today, I have the honour of presenting our new Director-General of the
Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Mlungisi Cele;
Prof Ihron Rensburg, Chairperson of the South Africa UNESCO National
Commission;
Deputy Directors-General and other Senior Government officials; The Executive Director, Ms Jansie Niehaus;
Heads of our Science Institutions; Heads of Academic Institutions; Members of the Diplomatic corps; Leaders of Business;
South32 and Representative from other sponsor organisations; The Adjudicators and Finalists;
Our Brilliants Programme students; Esteemed Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Thank you for the honour of inviting me to come and deliver this keynote address at this prestigious occasion- the 2025 NSTF-South32 Awards. Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) on the milestone of hosting the 27th edition of these awards.
I also wish to congratulate you on reaching your 30th anniversary as an organisation. For the purpose of this occasion, I wish to reflect on several issues which I believe are pertinent to a gathering of this stature.
The first is the importance of quantum science and technology in advancing the strategic priorities of our Department. As you may be aware, in 2024, the United Nations declared 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ).
This was in celebration of the centenary of the development of the theory of quantum mechanics. Therefore, your chosen theme for this year’s awards is particularly apt.
As a Department, we have long recognised the transformative potential of quantum science and its role in contributing to the building of a more inclusive and connected world.
This is why in 2021, we adopted a Framework for quantum technology driven research in South Africa which gave rise to the South African Quantum Technology Initiative (SA Quit).
In support of quantum science and technology and its cognate areas, over the years, we also supported Research Chairs in Mathematical Models and Processes in Engineering Biosciences; Biostastics; Applied Maths to Natural and Human Systems; Mathematical and Theoretical Physical Biosciences and many other related domains.
More fundamentally, we also recognise the potential of quantum science and technology to pivot the research and innovation priorities in our country’s Decadal Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation.
As you may be aware, these priorities include the following:
- Modernising existing industries such as mining, manufacturing and agriculture;
2. New Sources of Growth such as the Circular and Digital
Economies;
Health Innovation and Energy;
Innovation enabled capable state/Innovation for service delivery; and
5. Societal Grand Challenges such as climate change, environmental sustainability, the future of education, skills and work and the future of society.
The second issue is the global context. This 27th edition of the NSTF- South32 Awards takes place against the backdrop of a complex set of global challenges, some of which include economic stagnation, rising social inequality, the persistence of armed conflict, the negative impact of
climate change, technological disruption and new tensions arising from a growing push towards unipolarity by some countries, through bullying.
One of the consequences of these seismic geopolitical shifts has been the withdrawal of funding by the US government for key scientific projects between the US and South African research and academic institutions.
In response to this, I established a Working Group to advise me on the impact of these funding cuts. I am pleased to state that the Working Group
has completed its work and did so within the allocated deadline.
I am currently processing the Report of the Working Group, and through our Director-General, we are preparing to present its findings to Cabinet and thereafter, to Parliament.
The most enduring lesson that we have learned from the funding cuts by the US and our inability to gain easy access to vaccines during the global outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic is that, as a country and continent, we must prioritise the development of what I refer to as a sovereign research and development agenda.
The third issue I wish to reflect on is the importance of deliberately and consistently enhancing our country’s scientific capabilities. Over the past three decades, the democratic state has made a number of important investments in the development of our country’s scientific capabilities and infrastructure.
In addition to establishing a stand-alone department of science, technology and innovation in 2004, we expanded our public science system by establishing specialist entities such as the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO).
These and other interventions have made it possible for our country to earn the privilege of cohosting one of the biggest scientific projects of our time-the Square Kilometre Array.
These investments also made it possible for our scientists to identify the genome of a new and virulent SARS-CoV-2 variant, later named 501Y.V2.
Equally important, in May last year, together with the University of Pretoria and other institutional partners, we launched the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital.
This state-of-the art facility intends to advance drug development and clinical research and provide cutting-edge diagnostics and treatment in relation to cancer, tuberculosis (TB) and other major diseases.
This facility is part of our Department’s 13 research infrastructure facilities. We have contributed R720 million towards the establishment of the NuMeRi facility and I am pleased to state that NuMeRI is the only facility of its kind on the African continent.
All of this is what gives us the honour of having the most advanced and largest public science system in Africa.
The fourth issue is the imperative of transformation. Even though we have made commendable progress in growing and expanding our public science system, in the last three decades, there are still certain aspects of our public science system that continue to concern me deeply.
One is the fact that our country’s public science system is still characterised by among others the under representation of blacks and women at the highest levels.
In response to this and other transformation deficits, in March this year, I hosted our country’s first Summit on the Transformation of our National System of Innovation.
The overarching intention of this Summit was to perform a critical assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of our country’s National System of Innovation and make recommendations on the actions required to strengthen it.
The resolutions of this Summit have been incorporated into the Strategic Plan of our Department and during our recent Budget Vote Debate, I have undertaken to provide Parliament with regular progress updates on their implementation.
The fifth and final issue is the need for a reimagined National Science and Technology Forum. As stated, our public science system continues to resemble the pre 1994 spatial and racial divide.
It continues to be biased towards the metros and is not evenly articulated at regional and local level. One of our strategic priorities is to build a transformed, responsive and agile public science system.
Similarly, we need to ensure that entities like the NSTF are also transformed, responsive and that they respond to the development priorities of our country at national, provincial and local level
Through our Director-General, I have asked the Department to facilitate a more focused discussion with the NSTF leadership on how we can enable the organisation to redefine its role in line with the current socio-economic realities of our country.
In conclusion
Our department recently adopted a new mantra, which is “Placing Science, Technology and Innovation at the Centre of Government, Education, Industry and Society”.
One of the implications of this mantra is that we expect critical role players in our public science system such as the NSTF to support our Department
in making sure that the high impact scientific work that is being celebrated here tonight is known and eventually appreciated, in the villages and townships of our country.
Finally, I also wish to express our appreciation for the South32 trophy in appreciation of the 10 years of partnership and to congratulate all the winners.
More particularly the 3rd uKhozi award to Mr. David Botha, in celebration of the NSTF 30th anniversary. The new category of the NTSF ARC Award sponsored by the Agricultural Research Council and most importantly, the
19 students who are part of the NSTF’s Brilliants Programme.
Like any other country, we have a number of development challenges, but we must never look at our challenges as insurmountable. As a country, we
have some of the best scientists, researchers and innovators and so, it is possible to develop sustainable solutions for our country’s development challenges.
It is this depth of scientific talent that gives me the confidence to say: through science, technology and innovation, a better South Africa is possible.
