Question NW3365 to the Minister of Science and Technology

Reply:

1. The broad objectives aimed at addressing the triple challenges of the NDP through a set of priority interventions are unpacked below:

       (a) Develop an economy that will create more jobs

• The State of Green Technologies in South Africa. (Consensus study - completed)
• South Africa’s technical readiness to support the shale gas industry. (Consensus study - ongoing)
• “Our Nuclear Future: Delay or Demise”. (Workshop - completed)
• Standing Committee on the Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. (Ongoing)
• “Measuring Deprivation to order to promote Human Development”. (Workshop -completed)

      (b) Improve national infrastructure

• The State of Energy Research in South Africa. (Completed – follow up study to be initiated)
• A symposium on “Our Nuclear Future: Delay or Demise”. (Completed)
• Standing Committee on the Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. (Ongoing)

     (c) Transition to a low-carbon economy

• The State of Green Technologies in South Africa. (Consensus study - completed)
• South Africa’s technical readiness to support the shale gas industry. (Consensus study - ongoing)
• “Our Nuclear Future: Delay or Demise”. (Workshop - completed)
• Hosting the official release and media workshop on the Fifth Assessment Report, Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). (Completed)

     (d) Create an inclusive and integrated economy

• Standing Committee on the Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. (Ongoing)
• “Measuring Deprivation to order to promote Human Development”. (Workshop -completed)

     (e) Reverse the spatial effects of apartheid

• Standing Committee on the Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. (Ongoing)
• “Measuring Deprivation to order to promote Human Development”. (Workshop - completed)

     (f) Improve the quality of education, training and innovation

• Reconceptualising Education and Training of an Appropriate Health Workforce for the Improved Health of the Nation. (Consensus study - ongoing)
• Revitalising Agricultural Education and Training (AET) in South Africa. (Consensus study - ongoing)
• Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) pilot project. (Ongoing)

    (g) Provide quality health care for all

• Standing Committee on the Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. (Ongoing)
• Diversity in Human Sexuality. (Consensus study - completed)
• Biosafety and Biosecurity Standing Committee. (Ongoing)
• The State of Biosafety and Biosecurity in South Africa. (Consensus study - completed)
• Standing Committee on Health. (Ongoing)
• Improved Nutritional Assessment of Micronutrients. (Consensus study - completed)
• Reconceptualising Education and Training of an Appropriate Health Workforce for the Improved Health of the Nation. (Consensus study - ongoing)
• Preventing a Tobacco Use Epidemic in Africa. (Consensus study - completed)
• Provider Core Competencies for Mental, Neurological and Substance Use (MNS) Disorders. (Consensus study - ongoing)

     (h) Provide social protection

• Standing Committee on the Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. (Ongoing)
• Diversity in Human Sexuality. (Consensus study - Completed)
• Standing Committee on Health. (Ongoing)

   (i) Build safer communities

• Standing Committee on the Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. (Ongoing)
• Workshop on “Measuring Deprivation to order to promote Human Development”. An initiative of the Standing Committee for the Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. (Completed)
• Diversity in Human Sexuality. (Consensus study - Completed)
• Standing Committee on Health. (Ongoing)

(2) Through the promotion of excellence and scholarly endeavour, ASSAf contributes to the knowledge base on these topics. The second component of ASSAf’s mandate relates to the provision of science advice to government. ASSAf is able to mount in-depth studies and convene workshops on relevant topics with a view to providing advice on matters of science to support policy development and also to provide a platform for scholarly debate. A good example of the latter would be a recent workshop on “Measuring Deprivation in order to promote Human Development in South Africa”.