Department of Science and Technology
The science and technology minister, Naledi Pandor, has appointed a ministerial committee to investigate the state of science and technology in South Africa.
According to a statement on the department’s website, the committee will “review the science, technology and innovation landscape and its readiness to meet the needs of South Africa.”
The committee will be chaired by Professor Loyiso Nongxa, vice chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand. It will consist of nine members.
Included in the ranks are Michael Spicer, Dr Michael Kahn and Professor Brian Figaji.
The committee will consider whether South Africa is making best use of its existing strengths. It will also consider whether the country can meet its needs in the next 10 to 30 years.
A primary consideration is whether South Africa can “respond rapidly to a changing global context.”
The organisation for economic cooperation and development’s review of South Africa’s national system of innovation, completed in 2007, is to be used as a starting point in the assessment process.
In the statement, minister Pandor refers to the importance of reviewing key policies and strategies that have guided the system of innovation for the past 15 years.
She identifies two issues that make the appointment of the committee at this juncture highly advantageous.
The first is that South Africa is currently increasing its spend on research and development. The target is to spend 1.5% of GDP on research by 2014.
The second is that South Africa’s science, technology and innovation system needs to position the country as a knowledge-based economy. It must also ensure that this results in improved standards of living for South Africans.
Sabinet Cape Town Office
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