Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande on Tuesday announced a new programme to enable cooperation between South Africa and Palestine as part of science diplomacy.
Nzimande said the programme would have a special focus to support the safeguarding, rebuilding and developing of Palestine research and innovation capacity and infrastructure.
He said it would entail joint research between South African and Palestinian research findings, seed funding of Palestinian scholars and students in South Africa in exchange programmes and sharing the South African policy experiences regarding science and system development.
“This new programme will be implemented by our entity the National Research Foundation and will be funded through the department’s existing budget for international cooperation,” he said.
Nzimande said South Africa wanted to co-operate in the area of science with Palestine to strengthen the countries’ relationship.
“This is a concrete programme which is aimed at ensuring our solidarity with Palestine,” he said.
Nzimande made the announcement when he tabled the department budget during the budget vote debate in Parliament.
The department’s budget for 2024-25 has been cut from R10.8 billion to R10.5 billion.
The minister also said the country has made tremendous strides in science, technology and innovation since 1994.
“Our country gradually raised the scale of science, technology and innovation capabilities in the period from 1996 to 2024, increasing our global research output to 0.98%.”
Nzimande said their 2019 white paper and their decadal plan for 2022-2033 was pivoting national systems of innovation to pursue transformative change in society.
“Our decade plan commits to increase science, technology and innovation investment to tackle the three grand societal challenges: climate change and environmental sustainability, future of education skills and work and future of society,” he said.
Nzimande said they were committed to ensuring the sustainability of existing businesses in the agriculture, manufacturing and mining sector, and support development of new growth industries.
Referring to mineral beneficiation, he said the Mandela Mining precinct was intensifying efforts in mineral beneficiation for further diffusion in the industrial economy.
Nzimande also said producing mass critical young black and women scientists and researchers was one of the critical pillars of their science, technology and innovation strategy.
“In December, the president announced the presidential PhD programme. This programme is intended to expose our brightest PhD students and post doctoral fellows to best knowledge and innovation frontiers, laboratory industries and skills development platforms abroad and in Africa.
“This programme will be supported through a seed funding of R1 billion from the National Skills Fund to be leveraged to R5 billion through private sector and international development partnerships,” he added.
Nzimande said as part of building a capable state, they have begun with an earth data centre to provide decision-support tools for government in fire and flood mapping, food security monitoring, human settlement mapping, forest mapping, disaster management, climate change and water resource management.
uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s Isaac Menyatso said: “This country needs a budget that will respond to the demands of science, technology and innovation to impact across the critical sectors such as agriculture, energy, environment, health, infrastructure development, mining, security and water, among others.”
DA’s Natasha Mazzone said human capital was absolutely essential to the development of a national system of innovation that was globally competitive and responsive to South Africa’s developmental needs.
“This department must ensure that it provides support through granting bursaries and scholarships; sponsoring internships; and funding emerging and established researchers,” Mazzone said.
EFF MP Vuyani Pambo said science, technology and innovation was the lifeblood of existence and progress, but they found comprehension lacking in the Government of National Unity.
“Countries take themselves seriously and invest 3% of GDP in research and development while in South Africa we languish at 0.6%. This is mediocrity we deal with,” Pambo said.
IFP’s Sanele Zondo also said the budget cuts were a concern.
“Without necessary funding, the threat of failure to lead the economic development agenda is looming over us. However, the IFP believes that if limited funds are prioritised, they should be focused on localised research and development programmes,” he added.
ANC’s Lufefe Mokutu said: “The state needs to play an active role through investment in research and development of new technologies to drive industrialisation of the economy and beneficiation.”
Cape Times