Question NW2064 to the Minister of Transport

Reply:

Department

(a)(b) The Department of Transport does not fund any research and development institutions, but funding is provided to students who are currently studying towards their Post Graduate programmes such as Honours, Masters and PHD programmes through academic institutions.

Not applicable

(i)(ii) Not applicable.

(aa)(aaa) Not Applicable.

(bbb) Not applicable.

(bb) Not applicable.

(cc) Not applicable.

Airports Company South Africa SOC Limited (ACSA)

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is working with Wits University (Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct) to address Authentication and Access Management

(a) N/A

(b) ACSA is working with Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct to run the “ACSA Access and Authentication Management Challenge” calling on innovative developers to think out of the box and come up with novel solutions for the current challenge of using multiple username and password.

i. Domestically

ii. N/A

(aa) (aaa) Wits University (Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct)

(bbb) Institute of Higher Learning tasked with research and education.

Airport Company South Africa currently uses multiple systems and devices in their daily operations. Some of the systems require users to identify themselves, either so that security protocols can be managed or to match the features of the system to the profile of the user by username, password and/or other mechanisms e.g. Biometrics, Identification cards, etc. The burden of managing access to these systems is currently a major challenge together with managing multiple username and/or password pairs, both for the organisation and the users. There’s no single view of who has access to what systems and the level of access they have on the system which creates problem related to segregation of duties.

The purpose of this initiative is to identify a solution that utilises authentication methodologies to access all systems in the organisation in a secure, seamless, unified and integrated manner. The ability to grant users access to the right and relevant information while having a comprehensive view of all access granted to all users.

The target is BSC graduate from software engineering specifically black South Africans. 100 youth will benefit in this project.

(bb) Since 2016 to 2019

(cc) R7,2 million

Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS)

(b)(i) No, ATNS is not currently funding any domestic institution of research and development;

(b)(ii) No, ATNS is not currently funding any international institution of research and development;

Note:

ATNS had a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering of the University of Pretoria. This MOU ran for a 5 year period (from 2012/13 - 2016/17 Financial Years). The purpose of this MoU was to participate in the forefront research activities to deliver the world class research and educational output for the benefit of ATNS, UP and telecommunications industries.

The following were the objectives of the agreement between the two parties:

• Promoting study and research,
• Promoting human capital development, in particular development of skills in ICT field and addressing historical imbalances of high skilled engineers.

ATNS have benefited in terms of interaction with experts in the field of telecommunications and research and development. This include benefiting in terms of the following:

• Research,
• Teaching,
• Short courses in related field.

The funding over the 2012/13 - 2016/17 Financial Years to the University of Pretoria was R500 000, R700 000, R800 000, R900 000 and R1 000 000 respectively.

(a)(aaa) N/a

(bbb) N/a

(bb) N/a

(cc) N/a

South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)

(a) Not applicable, (b) The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is NOT funding, including by way of discretionary funding, any institution of research and development (i) domestically and/or (ii) internationally. (aa)(aaa), (bbb), (bb) (cc) These questions are not applicable as the SACAA does not fund any institution for research and development purposes.

Road Accident Fund (RAF)

(b) The Road Accident Fund (RAF) is not funding, including by way of discretionary funding, any institution of research and development (i) domestically and/or (ii) internationally; consequently the remainder of the questions in respect of paragraphs (aa)(aaa), (bbb), (bb) and (cc), are not applicable.

Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC)

(b) The RTMC does not fund any institution of research and development (i) domestically and/or (ii) internationally; consequently the remainder of the questions in respect of paragraphs (aa)(aaa), (bbb), (bb) and (cc), are not applicable.

Cross Border Transport Road Agency (CBTRA)

(b) The Cross Border Road Transport Agency does not fund, including by way of discretionary funding any institution of research and development (i) domestically and or (ii) internationally; consequently the remainder of the questions in respect of paragraphs (aa)(aaa), (bbb), (bb) and (cc), are not applicable.

Road Infringement Agency (RTIA)

(b) The Road Traffic Infringement Agency is not and has not funded any institution of research and development, either (i) Domestically or (ii) Internationally; consequently the remainder of the questions in respect of paragraphs (aa)(aaa), (bbb), (bb) and (cc), are not applicable.

South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL)

(b) The SA National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) has spent the following amounts on educational initiative’s and R & D:

(aa)(aaa) Name of Institution	(bbb) Function of Institution	Purpose of Funding	(bb) Date	(cc) Amount (R)
UCT (University of Cape Town)	University	Chair: Transportation Planning	2011	20 Million
2. UFS (University of the Free State)	University	Chair: Mathematics and Physics	2015	30 Million
3. UFS STEM	University ICT Lab	Family maths and Science & STEM	2015/16	7 774 635-00
4. US (University of Stellenbosch)	University	Chair: Pavement Engineering	2016	30 Million
5. NMMU (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University)	University	STEM laboratory	2016/17	3 151 495-00
6. CSIR	Research Council	Road Research	2008-2017	48 million
7. UP & CSIR (University of Pretoria)	University & Research Council	National Reference Laboratory Facilities	2016-2019	150 million

South African Maritime Authority Safety (SAMSA)

South African Maritime Authority (SAMSA) does not provide direct funding to research and development institutions.

In line with its strategy of attracting and retaining adequately skilled staff, the Authority has in place a scholarship programme for full-time students and financial assistance to employees studying towards careers related to the promotion of the maritime discipline. Some of the institutions with students funded by the Authority include The World Maritime University in Sweden and the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. The students and employees sign a contract that requires them to work back the number of years covering the funding period.

Ports Regulator (RSA)

(b) The Ports Regulator does not fund any institution of research and development both (i) domestically and (ii) internationally.

Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA)

(a) The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA)

(b) For the 2017/18 financial year PRASA is not funding any Research and Development domestically or internationally. However,

(aaa) i) From 2011 – 2016 (5 years) PRASA funded the PRASA Rail Chair at Stellenbosch University.

(bbb) i)

• Maintenance Management

• Operations Management

• Systems Engineering

• Change Management Programmes

• Risk Assessment and Safety Engineering

• Reliability Improvement Engineering

• Lean Supply Chain Management

• Logistics

• Project Management

• Knowledge Management

• Process Improvement

• Modelling and Simulation

• 3D and Finite Element Modelling

• Reverse Engineering

• Material Conformance Testing

• Regenerative Power Engineering

(bb) The Research programme was from 2011 – 2016 (5 years)

cc) The cost of the Programme was R15 million over the five year period.

PRASA has membership subscription in the following International institution:

(aaa) International Suburban Rail Benchmarking Group (ISBERG) managed by Imperial College of London

(bbb) A group of 14 International railways that agreed to a set of Key Performance Indicators that is updated annually and 5 studies the members mutually agree on to fund for research by the facilitators of the group – Imperial College of London.                                                                 

 (bb) PRASA is participating in this Group from February 2014.

(cc) An amount of R1.5 million was spent between 2013 and 2017. We have not as yet paid 2017 membership fees that is expected to be in the order of R550 000 for the year.

Railway Safety Regulator (RSR)

(b) No, the RSR does not fund any institution of research and development

(i) N/A

(ii) N/A