Honorable Chairperson and Honorable Members;
Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Nomalungelo Gina;
Director-General of our Department, Dr. Mlungisi Cele;
Deputy Directors-General of our Department;
Chairpersons and CEOs of our Entities;
Our National and International partners;
Our Special Guests, Professor Vukosi Marivate and Professor George Painter;
Our other Special Guests, the Learners from various schools:
There is no doubt that we have entered one of the most unpredictable and precarious moments in human history. A period that is marked by the erosion of the post-Cold War order, global economic strain, rising inequality, climate change and disruptive new technologies.
It is also becoming clearer that our future as humanity depends on our willingness to use science, technology and innovation to advance justice, equality and peace and not war, inequality and domination.
I now wish to briefly reflect on progress achieved in the previous financial year, with specific focus on the strategic pillars of our Decadal Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (2022–2032)
On health innovation: With KfW, a German bank, we approved 19 infrastructure projects to strengthen South Africa’s vaccine development, testing, manufacturing and regulation.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) granted one of our local companies, Biovac approval to begin clinical trials for its oral cholera vaccine.
This strengthens local vaccine manufacturing and supports the African Union’s goal of producing 60% of the continent’s vaccines in Africa by 2040.
On agricultural innovation: Through South African System of Systems for Agricultural Modernisation (SASSAM), we allocated R19.35 million to a digital platform to improve productivity, climate resilience and inclusion, especially for small-scale and emerging farmers.
We also allocated R14.9 million to strengthen bio-surveillance, ease livestock export restrictions linked to foot-and-mouth disease, and support the Biosecurity Hub at the University of Pretoria.
On mining innovation: With the Minerals Council South Africa, we invested R58 million in modernisation and through the Mandela Mining Precinct, we delivered five software frameworks, 27 guidelines, 14 training sets, 19 technology packages and 34 demonstrators.
On boosting innovation in manufacturing: Our entity, the CSIR launched a Hot Isostatic Press facility in Tshwane to strengthen local manufacturing, improve metal component performance and reduce reliance on offshore processing.
On space science: Our country’s largest science project, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) received R5 billion from National Treasury to support our hosting obligations, digital infrastructure, skills and community development.
Our other mega science project, the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), which recently marked 20 years, will undergo upgrades this year, including a new camera detector. Under our country’s Astro-Tourism Strategy, Astro-Guide training is continuing in the Northern Cape.
On building capabilities for the digital economy: We invested R122.16 million to strengthen ICT infrastructure and expand capabilities in AI, modelling and simulation, blockchain, cybersecurity, networking and the advanced Internet of Things.
On our Innovation Fund: Our Innovation Fund has partnered with the Public Investment Corporation to co-invest in the PIC Early-Stage Fund of Funds. Over three financial years, Our Fund will contribute R600 million, while the Government Employees Pension Fund will contribute R1.4 billion. This will create a fund of more than R2 billion to support a pipeline of more than 10 fund managers and strategic initiatives.
In support of our country’s just energy transition: We approved R3.5 million for the CSIR’s Subsonic Wind Tunnel Facilities to secure international accreditation, creating the first such facility in Africa. We also form part of the Hydrogen Economy Inter-Ministerial Committee chaired by the Deputy President.
Changing the race, gender and class profile of our public science system remains our top priority. We supported 3,355 researchers against a target of 2,500, including 1,705 women, 2,208 Black researchers and 46 researchers with disabilities.
We also announced 41 new Research Chairs for Historically Disadvantaged Institutions, Universities of Technology and newer universities, including Sol Plaatje University’s, which was awarded Research Chair for this first time in its history.
On the Presidential PhD Programme: We are establishing five National Doctoral Training Hubs focused on mining transformation, biotechnology, the water-food-health nexus, AI and machine learning, and the just energy transition.
We are also pursuing international training partnerships, backed by a R5 million European Union grant and a further R32.873 million secured by our Department.
On indigenous knowledge systems: We are proud to indicate that UNESCO designated South Africa’s African Institute on Indigenous Knowledge Systems at the University of KwaZulu-Natal as a Category II Centre.
The Centre will advance African Indigenous Knowledge Systems within the global knowledge base. This is another first the African continent.
On science engagement: On the 4th of July, we will launch the first instalment of National Science Month, expanding on what was previously known as National Science Week.
Through National Science Month we seek to encourage more young people to pursue science and deepen public appreciation of science in everyday life. I invite all citizens to join the provincial National Science Month activities.
Delivering this Budget Vote as we do within Africa Month, we wish to reaffirm our commitment to advancing science, technology and innovation across the continent. We helped develop the African Union’s STISA 2034 and earlier this year, I attended the launch of its Implementation Plan in Ethiopia.
Chairperson and Honorable Members, Africa must change the way it engages with itself and the rest of the world. One of the critical tasks in this respect is the building of what we call a sovereign research and development agenda.
By this we mean a research and development agenda that is designed, funded and led by Africans. To make this call is not to reject international funding or partnerships, but to advocate for foreign support that is underpinned by equity and fairness and doesn’t replace domestic and continental investment in our STI future.
The Ministerial Working Group’s report on STI funding has been submitted to Cabinet. It addresses sovereignty risks arising from cuts to United States federal health science funding in early 2025, and I hope to brief Parliament later this year.
I also wish to use this occasion to acknowledge two distinguished scientists: Prof Vukosi Marivate of the University of Pretoria, who was recently appointed to the United Nations Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, and Prof George Painter of Emory University in the United States, whose patents helped produce antiviral treatments for HIV, hepatitis B, adenovirus and COVID-19.
The road ahead
Chaiperson and Honorable Members, our Department’s budget allocation for the current financial year is R10.437 billion. Together with other income, this allocation will be used to expand the scale and impact of our work and for this reason, over the next three years, through these priorities:
Intensifying efforts to raise gross expenditure on research and development to 1.5% of GDP;
Accelerating the transformation and expansion of STI human resources and our research workforce;
Strengthening the coordination and direction across our National System of Innovation through, among others, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on STI and the Presidential Plenary for STI;
Maintaining support for key science projects such as the SKA and strengthening pandemic preparedness capacity;
Forging strategic innovation compacts with STI intensive state departments and private sector partners;
Upgrading critical science infrastructure and developing critical high-end skills, including through the Presidential PhD Programme;
Mobilising more funding and resources to expand the impact of key programmes such as artificial intelligence, energy security, space, vaccine manufacturing, and indigenous knowledge systems;
Continuing to strength strategic partnerships, especially across Africa and the Global South; and
Increasing public awareness about the contribution of our public science system to human development through a stronger public engagement and communication campaign.
In conclusion, I wish to thank our Deputy Minister, Director-General, Deputy Directors-General and the Heads of our Entities for their support. I also wish to thank staff of my Department and those of our Entities for their hard work.
I wish to thank our Portfolio Committee for their critical support and guidance. Lastly, I wish to thank my wife, Phumelele, and my children who continue to make it possible for me to serve our country.
Chairperson and Honorable Members, science, technology and innovation can build a better, safer and more prosperous South Africa.
