Technology Top 100 Awards: briefing
Science, Technology and Innovation
10 October 2006
Meeting Summary
A summary of this committee meeting is not yet available.
Meeting report
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
10 October 2006
TECHNOLOGY TOP 100 AWARDS: BRIEFING
Chairperson: Mr E N N Ngcobo (ANC)
Documents handed out:
Technology Top
100 Power Point Presentation
SUMMARY
The Department of Science and Technology had invited Technology Top 100 to
present their activities to the Committee. This was procedurally unusual as the
fourth term of the parliamentary year is normally reserved for departmental
annual reports which would in any event include the activities of service
providers. Once the confusion about TT100’s connection to the Department had
been cleared up, the Committee asked questions regarding the demographics, role
and programmes of the organisation. The Department explained that they had
invited TT100 in good faith as they were hoping the Committee would be involved
in the end of year award ceremony, and that it was appropriate for the
Committee to have exposure to the organisation prior to this event. The
Committee made it clear that it was not the right forum for such a presentation
but that they appreciated the work that TT100 did, and that the
misunderstanding would be taken up with the Department.
MINUTES
Chairperson’s
introduction
The Chairperson welcomed the attendees at the meeting and expressed apologies
from Mr S L Dithebe (ANC) and Ms F Mohamed (ANC) for their absence due to a
meeting and a dentist appointment respectively. He thanked the representative
of Technology Top 100 (TT100) for his quick response as the Committee was
scheduled to hear the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) annual report.
This had been cancelled as their presentation had been changed to a workshop.
He requested that all Committee Members and Department officials introduce
themselves.
Introductions were made by Mr JPI Blanche (DA), Prof IJ Mohamed (ANC), Mr BJ
Mnyandu (ANC), Mr V Mbele (Parliamentary Communication, Department of Science
and Technology), Mr B Sehlapelo (Deputy Director General, Department of Science
and Technology) and Mr N Nyide (Chief Director: Communications, Department of
Science and Technology), Mr S Lamprecht (General Manager: TT100) and Ms BT
Ngcobo (ANC).
The Chairperson explained the role of Parliament and that the Department
presents their plans at the start of the year and the annual report in the
fourth term for the Committee to assess progress. The Committee would ask
questions to make this assessment after the presentation.
Mr Sehlapelo introduced the presentation by saying that TT100 was involved in
value adding to science and had the function of celebrating successful
innovation. The presentation would share the process of how this was done and
give details of a banquet that would be held in November.
Mr Lamprecht thanked the Committee and the Department for the opportunity to
make the presentation. He felt he was in the privileged position to experience
science and technology first hand. TT100 essentially told the good stories and
showed what was coming out of various innovations.
Presentation
by TT100
Mr Lamprecht stated that TT100 had the key functions of celebration and
innovation. They identify and publicize role models in science. It is a national
awards programme and has facets within and outside of the Department. It aims
to expand the public view of science and technology being only for engineers,
to it existing to increase the quality of life for all South Africans. It is
open to all sectors and is supported by both the public and private sector. It
focused on the application of science as other awards were concerned with
research and other areas. They aim to change the common perception that good
innovation is only from overseas.
The Department of Science and Technology is the biggest sponsor with Eskom as
the second biggest sponsor. The organisation is owned by Da Vinci. All entrants
are considered stakeholders as the TT100 would not exist without them. There is
no financial cost to entrants but there is an investment of time. The programme
is run annually and celebrates big achievements. The big annual awards event is
in Johannesburg but for emerging events they aimed to go out to other more
relevant locations. He explained the different categories of established and
emerging organisations as those existing for more and less than three years
respectively. This is a guideline only as different sectors have different
running times. Qualifying entrants get to use the TT100 logo for a year. This
functions to enhance market credibility, much like the SA Bureau of Standards
(SABS) logo. There is no overall winner; two major awards are given to a large
and a small organisation as well as six category awards in Innovation, Research
and Development, Commercialisation, Empowerment, Portfolio Management and
Social Innovation. The last category is awarded because not all companies have
profit as a major driver.
The emerging sector has the largest Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) growth.
There is a focus on developing provinces other than Gauteng which is the
historical centre for science businesses. There are challenges in getting the
media interested in science and technology. The TT100 has the advantage of
being both neutral and objective. The main award ceremony is a banquet held on
the 16th of November at the Sandton Convention Centre in
Johannesburg. He gave some examples of extremely successful businesses in the
science and technology sector. They want the Committee to join in the
celebrations and join the media distribution list as well as accept their
annual report. He thanked the Committee for their attention.
Discussion
The Chairperson explained what an annual report should
be, including a break down of the budget and expenditure. The budget holder
must justify their expenses.
Ms Ngcobo asked what the annual budget is and what the demographics of their
personnel is. How are companies that do not have longevity assisted to be
sustainable? What impact do they have on the Millennium Development Goals?
Mr Mnyandu said that he also did not understand what entity TT100 was and what
role they played. What business sense was there in companies that did not
survive and what were the challenges in involving KwaZulu-Natal as a province?
Considering the research and development challenges in previously disadvantaged
communities, what were they doing to help build capacity?
Prof Mohamed asked how Da Vinci fitted in financially speaking. He highlighted
the failure of previous innovations to be marketed, for example the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) scanner. The CSIR also made a ‘skin’
for the treatment of third degree burns yet its application has not been
discussed. What has been done about these innovations and are there patents? What
role would TT100 have in these cases? What does BRICS stand for? Do they
encourage innovation and what does the Department get out of TT100’s
activities; are they purely a marketing entity?
Mr Blanche congratulated the TT100 for their work. He asked why Transnet was
not involved as a sponsor, especially in light of the new Gautrain and
scientific innovations that were arising from it. Water Purification Works in
Pretoria should be rolled out in smaller villages, these organisations must be
drawn in and the Committee made aware of any progress. How are South African
innovations promoted abroad as though there are success like the ‘Creepy
Crawly’, many South African innovations have not had adequate exposure? He
suggested the involvement of SA consulates in this regard.
The Chairperson asked if Da Vinci was a non-governmental organisation (NGO) or
some other type of institution? What is the role of the TT100 as there are lots
of institutions for academic innovations? They needed clarification on the ‘enormous
payout’ that was mentioned.
Mr Lamprecht invited the Department to add what they could.
The Chairperson asked in what capacity they would do this.
Mr Sehlapelo clarified that the Department had a longstanding relationship with
the TT100 and that they were essentially a service provider that could be
released at any point. Da Vinci works for them to celebrate scientific
achievements. It is not a statutory body of the Department or Government. The
Department valued their work. The relationship was entirely contractual.
Mr Nxumalo asked why the Department chose to bring a service provider to the
Committee and why it was not simply included in the annual report?
The Chairperson agreed that the work of service providers should be presented
in the annual report. The lack of clarity expressed by the Members was the
result of stringent guidelines from Government that were followed by the
Committee.
Ms F Mohamed (ANC) who arrived after the introductions asked where their
offices were and commented that the Department was a sponsor so they were not
really service providers. What are the gender demographics of the organisation?
Mr Blanche said that the Department should be the ones to be interrogated, not
the TT100. The Department is showing that they should exist, they have heard
about sciences and now they were hearing about technology. Nobody knew about
the Post Office’s technological innovations. The Department should motivate why
the Committee should hear TT100.
The Chairperson added that the Committee had to follow the rules otherwise the
main opposition party would be the first to complain.
Mr Blanche refuted this strongly saying that the Chairperson was putting words
in his mouth.
The Chairperson made it clear that they need to clarify why this one
organisation is presenting instead of another. It is purely procedural.
Mr Mnyandu agreed especially in light of the duty of the Committee to protect
public funds. They did not dismiss the work of the TT100, but the Committee is
accountable for its oversight function.
Mr Sehlapelo clarified that the main reason for the presentation was that the
Committee had not had much information about the TT100 previously and that they
would get invitations to the end of year banquet without insight about what it was.
The Department wanted the Committee to be involved in the work and this was
important since they would attend the banquet. They did not have any obligation
to invite TT100 to present to the Committee.
The Chairperson said that is was procedurally incorrect as the Committee had to
prioritise annual reports because of congestion in the fourth term.
Mr Blanche expressed his desire to hear an explanation.
Mr Nxumalo said they should note the report without Mr Lamprecht’s answering
questions and later take it up with the Department.
Ms Mohamed noted that she thought the DA was out of order. The Committee
appreciated the work of TT100 and she agreed that the Committee needed the
exposure. The invitation had to be discussed by the Committee. Some questions
had to be answered but TT100’s work could be monitored through the Department.
Since they were already present, the meeting should continue.
Mr Mbele thanked the Committee and said that as the person responsible for
communication between Parliament and the Department of Science and Technology,
he had decided a long time ago to expose the Committee to the TT100 prior to
the Department’s annual report. The presentation had been made in good faith.
Mr Sehlapelo said that he would answer all questions.
The Chairperson said Members must decide whether TT100 should answer some of
the questions and the Department others. He had received a circular the
previous day reminding the Committee of the rigorous guidelines for
scrutinising annual reports. The Committee should agree that the presentation
was a briefing and not an annual report presentation.
Mr Mnyandu concurred.
The Chairperson asked whether Mr Blanche agreed with this.
Mr Blanche said that that was his sentiment from the start and that the Chairperson
himself should have investigated the matter prior to the meeting.
The Chairperson disagreed strongly with this portrayal of his role and said
that he only needed to intervene if the Committee had a “problem”.
Mr Lamprecht answered that Da Vinci had existed for 15 or 16 years, though his
own association had been for two years only. It is a private organisation for
profit and was mainly involved in higher education in the corporate sector. The
TT100 is a not-for-profit programme of Da Vinci. The activities are funded. It
is a sustainable organisation adding value to intellectual property. Their
budget was R2 million per year from the Department and R3.5 million per year
overall. With regards to poverty alleviation, the TT100’s role is celebratory
and they created opportunity to assist businesses, but only for celebration and
facilitation between funders. They were fully aligned with the objectives of
the Department. He is not an employee of Da Vinci but estimated the personnel
are made up of 23 people of which eight are Black, two are Indian and 13 are
female. He is the only person working solely on the TT100 but he draws on Da
Vinci for support. There are also consultants and service providers.
Mr Lamprecht continued that companies that did not last was the result of many
challenges, but that some were designed to exist only for a certain period,
like the Soccer World Cup. The TT100 could help to redirect companies. Some
simply give up, and TT100 could serve to encourage these companies. They closed
the knowledge gap of success stories in science. There were no particular
challenges to involving KwaZulu-Natal. The TT100 had a phased approach and
there was a limited network in the province, which was growing. TT100
contributes to research and development in previously disadvantaged communities
by making successes known.
The CSIR examples highlighted the greatest failure in South Africa, which was
to add value to innovations. Better infrastructure is needed for this. Another
example is the creation of MNet decoders by the University of Pretoria who now
derive no profit from the innovation. The Department was addressing this
problem as technical people are typically not skilled in marketing and they
should not have to be. BRICS stands for Biotechnology Regional Innovation
Centres. Transnet should be involved. It is not the
role of TT100 to market internationally but there was growing infrastructure
for this within the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Government is generally
ahead of the private sector in innovations. The TT100 serves to facilitate
this. The payoff was in order to gain momentum and attract many entrants. The
office was based in Modderfontein in Johannesburg.
The Chairperson thanked all and apologised for the confusion.
The meeting was adjourned.
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