Hansard: NA: Mini-plenary 2

House: National Assembly

Date of Meeting: 17 May 2022

Summary

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Minutes

UNREVISED HANSARD
MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
VOTE NO 35 – SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
Watch: Mini-plenary

PROCEEDINGS OF MINI-PLENARY SESSION — NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

____
Members of the mini-plenary session met on the virtual platform at 14:00.

House Chairperson Mr C T Frolick took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon members. Before we proceed, I would like to remind you that the virtual mini-plenary is deemed to be in the precinct ofParliament and it constitutes a meeting of the National Assembly for debating purposes only. In addition to the Rules of virtual sittings, the Rules of the National Assembly, including the rules of debate, will apply. Members enjoy the same powers and privileges that apply in a sitting of the National Assembly. Members should equally note that anything that is said on the virtual platform is deemed to have been said to the House and may be ruled upon. All members who have logged in shall be considered present and are requested to mute their microphones and only unmute when they are recognised to speak. The microphones are very sensitive and will pick up noise which may disturb the attention of other members. When members are recognised to speak, they must please unmute their microphones and connect their videos.
Members may make use of the icons on the bar at the bottom of their screens which has an option that allows a member to put up his or her hand to raise points of order. The secretariat will assist in this regard. When using the virtual system, members are urged to refrain or desist from unnecessary points of order or interjections.
We shall now proceed to the Order, which is the debate on Vote No 35 — Science and Innovation Appropriation Bill. I now recognise the hon Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation. The hon Minister?

APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 35 — Science and Innovation:
VOTE NO 35 – SCIENCE AND INNOVATION

The MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION: Thank you, hon House Chair. Our Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation hon Buti Manamela, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology Ms Nompendulo Mkhatshwa and all members of the portfolio committee, our Director-General of the Department of Science and Innovation Dr Phil Mjwara and all his senior managers, representatives of all our institutions in our national system of innovation, and hon members, the central focus of this year’s Budget Vote of the Department of Science and Innovation, DSI, is that of accelerating thereversal of the legacies of poverty, inequality and unemployment, whilst addressing critical transitions required in the context of a rapidly changing world shaped by climate change, technological transition and new shifts in the global economy. Against the background of this wider context, our Budget Vote is guided by the 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation and the Decadal Plan which was approved for implementation by Cabinet in March 2021. The Decadal Plan foregrounds the major societal grand challenges facing our nation. I must emphasise that our goal is to ensure a just transition in both the traditional economic sectors of our economy as well as to lay the foundations for the emergence of new economic sectors.

The key focus areas of the Department of Science and Innovation in 2022 will be to vigorously support the government’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery programme; building long-term national capacity to deal with COVID-19 and future pandemic threats; securing higher levels of public and private investment in South Africa’s research development and innovation; supporting the revitalisation of existing sectors or industries; the exploitation of new sources of economic growth; the building of a capable state; and support for inclusive education and skills development. In line with our stated goal to support innovation in South Africa’s energy markets, I am pleased to say that we have launched the hydrogen South Africa road map to unlock the potential of new sources of clean energy to facilitate a just transition from a carbon-intensive to a carbon-neutral economy.

At the same time, we continue to modernise existing sectors such as mining, through support for research and development, both to ensure a safer working environment for miners and to increase the lifespan of mining in the country. In addition, we are also playing a vital role in the beneficiation of the mineral’s economy. Through the SA Mining Extraction Research, Development and Innovation, Samerdi, strategy we have invested R226 million towards the modernisation of the African mining industry. In partnership with Anglo American Platinum, Bambili Energy and Engie, in October 2021 we initiated a feasibility study on the Hydrogen Valley and identified nine catalytic projects across the mobility, industrial and building sectors in the first phase of the hydrogen economy programme. In terms of platinum contribution, the study has projected a contribution of up to US$70 million to the platinum industry in South Africa by 2030.
Through the implementation of South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley corridor, which covers the Johannesburg Hub, the Mogalakwena- Limpopo and the Durban-Richards Bay areas, we have the
potential to create 14 000 jobs ... [Inaudible.] ... and

 


 
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indirect jobs per year by 2030, and of course by 2050 also the
upper number, potentially contributing between US$3,9 billion
and US$8,8 billion to South Africa’s gross domestic product,
GDP.
I must indicate that the launch of the world’s biggest
hydrogen truck by Anglo American Platinum at the Mogalakwena
mine in Limpopo on the 6th of May 2022, is an indication of
the potential that South Africa has to become a significant
global player in the hydrogen economy.
In line with our commitment to supporting existing industries
to meet South Africa’s climate mitigation targets, we will
further develop technologies to reduce emissions from coal-
fired boilers in the cement, energy, steel, and paper and pulp
industries through the CoalCO2-X project. To date, I am
pleased to say that we have invested R50 million towards this
project, which has allowed local small, medium and micro-
enterprises, SMMEs, to put in place partnerships to
demonstrate the potential of flue-gas conversion technology at
the Pretoria Portland Cement, PPC, plant.

 


 
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We also continue to identify grassroots innovators, especially
women and youth-led enterprises, in South Africa and assist
them to enhance their innovations and skills through a range
of interventions, including funding and business development
support towards pre-commercialisation.
We have also made significant strides through the Technology
Acquisition and Deployment Fund in facilitating the market
entry of South Africa’s local innovations that can improve the
delivery of basic services by government and municipalities.
This is key to strengthening local and district-level
governance and of course to support the presidential-led
District Development Model, DDM.
To support municipalities in driving an innovation-led Local
Economic Development, LED, agenda, we have initiated the
Innovation Champions for the LED programme which will be
rolled out to all 44 districts in the country in support of
the DDM to ensure that innovation is rooted at grassroots
level.
We have supplied and funded over 200 young emerging innovators
through our Living Labs Programme in township and rural

 


 
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communities in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, the Eastern
Cape and the Free State.
Our flagship Technology Stations Programme continues to be a
key, cross-sectoral, broad-based technology support programme
for companies, especially SMMEs and potential entrepreneurs,
increasing the spatial footprint of innovation in the country.
The 17 technology stations at 13 universities of technology
and comprehensive universities across the country have
provided technological support, including small batch
production and developing prototypes to approximately
2 000 SMMEs.
We have made significant progress in the agricultural agro-
processing value chain development through the implementation
of our Agricultural Bio-economy Innovation Partnership
Programme. We have also intensified our agricultural research
efforts and introduced new smart and climate-sensitive
agriculture technologies in a bid to ensure food security and
the modernisation of the South African agricultural sector.
We are also increasing our support for research and
development activities in veterinary research, in a bid to

 


 
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tackle persistent animal diseases and threats such as foot and
mouth disease, whilst through our Department of Higher
Education and Training we are working on increased training of
veterinary practitioners at different levels.
We have made tremendous progress in developing South Africa’s
domestic vaccine manufacturing capability, whilst at the same
time strengthening our epidemiological surveillance and
strategic decision-making capability on the strength of the
COVID-19 National Policy Data Observatory, which is hosted by
our Department of Science and Innovation.
On the manufacturing side, we are at an advanced stage of
establishing Africa’s first COVID-19 mRNA vaccine technology
transfer hub, with strong public and private-sector
participation, backed by the World Health Organisation, WHO,
together with its Covax partners. This groundbreaking
initiative has been hailed by the Director-General of the WHO,
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, as a pioneering trendsetting innovation
for the rest of the world.
As part of building South Africa's capabilities for vaccine
manufacturing, Biovac, which is a public-private partnership

 


 
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between the South African government and the Biovac
Consortium, entered into a strategic partnership with Pfizer-
BioNTech to produce approximately 100 million doses of Pfizer-
BioNTech mRNA vaccines annually. I must say that we see this
platform as laying the ground for developing the use of mRNA
technologies to develop novel vaccines and therapies for other
types of afflictions, including cancer, cardiovascular and
autoimmune diseases.
In order to respond to the local and continental demand for
COVID-19 testing and to reduce our dependence on imports, we
established a fund which led to the development of two novel
COVID-19 diagnostic tests, one by Medical Diagnostech and the
other by CapeBio. I am pleased to say that both of these
diagnostic tools have been approved by the SA Health Products
Regulatory Authority, Sahpra.
The recent devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts
of our country reminded us not only of the threats posed by
rapid climate change but also highlighted the vital role of
science, technology and innovation in its mitigation and the
adaptation of our communities to these new realities. During
these unfortunate floods, we managed to leverage the existing

 


 
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infrastructure and investment made in our national system of
innovation by providing critical input using remote sensing
technologies, in particular satellites, to provide imaging for
accurately targeting water-flow patterns, its effects on
transport infrastructure systems and ... for better spatial
planning.
The input made by both the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research, CSIR, and our national space agency, the
SA National Space Agency, Sansa, has been exceptional, working
together with other government departments, providing decision
support tools and working closely with the Water Research
Commission. The work spans from road and bridge infrastructure
assessments to the Coastal Vulnerability tool and Index that
we have developed, which is an interactive decision support
tool and integrated geospatial flooding index for coastal
cities and town development, and is linked into the SA Risk
and Vulnerability Atlas. Work includes input on access to
health facilities, to water quality monitoring and
infrastructure. I am also pleased to say that what is
available for immediate use is a decentralised mobile water
and wastewater treatment system that is used as an emergency
or temporary treatment system directly from source.

 


 
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This is science, technology and innovation at its very best,
at the service of society and at the service of our people.
For this reason, we will continue to invest significantly in
research and development that builds the adaptive capacity and
resilience of some economic sectors to climate change impacts.
This includes heightening our research and development
activities in urban and rural spatial planning for future
human settlements, although much more public funding is still
required for science, technology and innovation in our
country.
One of our major preoccupations is to develop a road map for
science, technology and innovation for a circular economy,
given the pressure of finite natural resources and sensitivity
to global warming risks.
IsiZulu:
Ziningi izinto esizilahlayo engabe sibuye sizithathe uma
sizisebenzisile, siziphendule futhi sizilungise kabusha ukuze
zibuye zisebenziseke loku esithi i-circular economy
ngesilungu.
English:

 


 
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Through the Innovations for Service Delivery Programme, funded
in partnership with the EU and National Treasury, we have
demonstrated pilot technologies and innovations to improve the
delivery of basic services by our municipalities. I am proud
to say that, in partnership with the SA Local Government
Association, we have expanded the number of municipalities
participating in what we call the Municipal Innovation
Maturity Index, which is now digitised and that measures the
capability and readiness of local government to adopt
innovation and technology.
Through Sansa, South Africa has been designated to host one of
the 24-7 Regional Space Weather Centres in Hermanus in the
Western Cape by the International Civil Aviation authority. I
am very happy about this as well. We will officially launch
the centre in October this year. The launch of this capability
will provide South Africa with the opportunity to showcase the
value of science, technology and innovation, and to attract
the region and international partnerships to utilise the newly
constructed Space Weather Centre.
Significantly, we have also launched three locally-produced
nanosatellites as part of South Africa’s new Maritime Domain

 


 
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Awareness Satellite constellation. The satellites will detect,
identify and monitor vessels in near real time in support of
South Africa’s maritime domain awareness strategy. We have
invested over R30 million in the development of this high-tech
capability.
IsiZulu:
Ngesintu nje esilula sesizokwazi manje ukuthi sibe
nobuchwepheshe bokubala ukuthi mingaki imikhumbi edobayo noma
eyenza eminye imisebenzi la olwandle olugudle izwe lakithi.
Sikwenza lokho singahleli olwandle kodwa sihleli le phezulu
sibuka ukuthi izinto zenzeka kanjani kwilwandle ezakheleni
nezwe lakithi.
English:
The South African and Australian governments are cosignatories
to cohost the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, SKAO, array
telescopes and associated infrastructure to the value of
€2 billion over the period 2021-30. Through the Square
Kilometre Array, SKA, we will be producing a whole new
generation of science and scientists, many of whom are now
being trained in South Africa. Our South African companies and
the SA Radio Astronomy Observatory will benefit immensely from

 


 
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the rolling out of this infrastructure, which includes the
building of the SKA Exploratorium in Carnarvon in the Northern
Cape. The initiative is expected to boost science awareness
and outreach, stimulate science tourism in the region and
create employment. In particular, we will also focus on
ensuring the production of more black and women scientists and
specialists on this front. I want to say that as the Minister,
my primary aim and goal is to ensure that we drive an
overarching transformation project in the science, technology
and innovation space, so that we are able to affirm black
South Africans, black women in particular, as scientists and
researchers. This is one of my priorities as Minister of this
department. The MeerKAT telescope, built by South Africans,
does great scientific work and will continue to do so until it
is fully integrated into the SKA in the next five ...
[Inaudible.]
Allow me to share with you our plans and upcoming programmes
for the next two years of this administration. Through the
digital plan, we have identified the digital economy as one
area in which we are going to channel our resources. I am
pleased to say that I have also instructed the National Skills
Fund, under the Department of Higher Education and Training,

 


 
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to support this by prioritising training in digital skills,
especially for our youth. I have also targeted monies from
some of the sector education and training authorities, Setas,
to also elevate investment into training in the digital
economy.
We have identified six foundational digital domains on which
South Africa should focus its resources for the next 10 years.
These domains include artificial intelligence, robotics and
cybernetics; augmented, virtual and mixed reality; modelling
and simulation; blockchain and cybersecurity; the internet of
things, and so on. All these developments will be implemented
as part of the Foundational Digital Capabilities Research
programme of my department.
We are currently developing a business case for the
establishment of a national solar research facility that will
support the development, commercialisation and deployment of
solar-based technologies for application in both the solar
power and fuel sectors. More details will be shared in this
regard.

 


 
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As part of ensuring greater whole of government and whole of
society innovation, we have already begun with a new
institutional architecture to build better co-ordination,
cohesion and direction in how science, technology and
innovation resources are used.
Firstly, we have already begun with the work of the standing
ministerial-level science, technology and innovation
committee, involving key ministries and chaired by myself, of
course with the authority of the President.
Secondly, the President of the Republic will host an annual
science, technology and innovation plenary which will include
business, government, academia and civil society. This will
place science, technology and innovation issues at the centre
of our national developmental agenda. We are also leading the
open science policy development process to develop a clear
vision and rules of the game.
To encourage the private sector to invest in research and
development, government has extended the current tax research
incentives dispensation until the 31st of December 2023. We

 


 
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are doing this in order to ensure that there is certainty and
planning around research incentives.
Beyond this, we are firmly committed to leveraging both public
and private resources to increase gross domestic investment in
research and development as a percentage of our GDP with the
aim of achieving the National Development Plan’s target of
1,5% by 2030.
As I conclude, South Africa will be the first country in
Africa to host the World Science Forum, which is a biennial
international conference series on global science policy, and
that brings together leading scientists, researchers, private-
sector players, civil society and global media to discuss the
challenges facing science and societies in the 21st century. I
invite you all to this hybrid event which will be held from
5 to 9 December 2022 in Cape Town.
The Department of Science and Innovation’s total budget is
R9,1 billion for 2022-23, up from R8,9 billion in 2020-21. The
majority of the department's budget is spent on transfers to
entities, with the National Research Foundation receiving the
single largest share.

 


 
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I would like to restate that the Department of Science and
Innovation is steadfast in its commitment to the full
utilisation of science, technology and innovation to support
the sustainable and inclusive development of South Africa’s
society and economy, with particular emphasis on the
marginalised and the poor. The true purpose of science,
technology and innovation lies in the quest of securing an
enduring and equal human freedom for all our people in a
vibrant democracy, free of hunger, alienation, prejudice and
ignorance. It is a science truly at the service of society.
IsiZulu:
Mangiphethe Mphathi Wohlelo osesihlalweni ngokuthi ngibonge
kakhulu uMongameli wezwe lakithi, ubaba uCyril Ramaphosa
neSekela Mongameli kanye nozakwethu esinabo esigunwini
sikahulumeni kazwelonke ngokungelekelela kwabo kanye
nokusebenzisana kahle neSekela likaNgqongqoshe uManamela kanye
nekomidi lasePhalamende.
Ngicela ukubonga nowakwami kanye nabasebenzi bami ehhovisi
likaNgqongqoshe, kanye futhi ngibonge noMqondisi-Jikelele
uDokotela uPhil Mjwara kanye nabaphathi asebenza nabo kulo
Mnyango, nabo bonke abakumaBhodi, nabaphathi, nezinhlangano,

 


 
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nabo bonke esisebezisane nabo ukuze sikwazi ukuthi sifike la.
Ngalamazwi sithi lo hulumeni oholwa uKhongolose uyakwazi
ukubaluleka kwezobuchwepheshe ekwenzeni izimpilo zabantu
bakithi zibengcono.
English:
Thank you very much, hon House Chairperson and hon members.
Ms N T MKHATSHWA: Thank you very much House Chair. Hon
members, Minister Nzimande, ...[Inaudible] ... members of the
national system of innovation, Members of Parliament but most
importantly citizens of South Africa, sanibonani (greetings.)
Before we continue to debate this Budget Vote, we as a
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and
Innovation unequivocally, state that we are appalled by the
repulsive and nauseating behaviour of the University of
Stellenbosch student, who urinated on a fellow student’s
belongings.
The committee just having visited the University of
Stellenbosch on 16th February of this year, to receive a
briefing on the very subject of the transformation journey at

 


 
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the institution, is now more than ever convinced that much
more work has to be done at that institution. In fact, our
visit was qualified. These blatant acts of racism and
disrespectful attitudes unleashed on black students, is an
insult to our hard-fought democracy, and should be condemned
to the fullest and not be tolerated at our learning
institutions.
The committee reiterates its stance on advancing the
transformation agenda, which emphasizes nonracialism and
inclusiveness, and will continue to vigorously monitor and
plat robust oversight in the realization of this
transformation journey, at the University of Stellenbosch
amongst other institutions. We note and welcome the suspension
of the perpetrator and want to implore that this matter be
subjected to the due disciplinary processes of the
institution, and that justice must prevail for the affected
student.
We call on the university to ensure that the affected student
immediately receives mental health support. In fact, there are
many in the institution who may have been affected and
triggered by this racially charged incident, and they too must

 


 
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receive mental health support. We should continue on a daily
basis in our different areas of work, strive to do our part to
ensure inclusion, justice, dignity, and combat racism in all
its manifestations.
The agenda on need to transform institutions of higher
learning to make them nonracial, nonsexist, inclusive and
intersectional spaces, does not exist in isolation to the need
to expand and transform the national system of innovation
regarding human capabilities, the institutional landscape and
research systems as articulated in the White Paper of Science
and Innovation.
Hon Minister Nzimande, I am glad that you want to have a
broader approach to transformation in science and innovation,
because in November 2021, I was invited by the National
Research Foundation to present an award at a ceremony where
the National Research Foundation, NRF it was recognizing
qualifying researchers and institutions for the years 2020 and
2021 in several categories, including NRF A and P-rated
researchers.

 


 
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Before I express my concern and what I witnessed at these
awards perhaps Let me begin by clarifying why A or P-rated
scientist or researcher is. Hon members, an A-rated scientist
will be those who are unequivocally recognized by their peers
as being the leading international scholars in their field for
the high quality and an impact of their recent research
outputs. Whereas, P-rated scientists or researchers would be
defined as young researchers usually under the age of 35, who
have the potential to become leaders in their field.
As I sat through the NRF awards that were acknowledging A and
P-rated scientists, I became alarmed and discomforted to
observe a very linear pattern of recipients. The makeup of the
collective of recipients that received awards as A or P-rated
scientists was not intersectional, not inclusive, nor
representational. Speaking against the founding provisions of
our Constitution that remind us that, this democratic state
was founded on the values of nonracialism and nonsexism. It
was only when we were looking into P-rated scientists that we
began to see a bit of colour. In fact, I would say hon
Minister, a drop of colour.

 


 
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Ways in which we can address the lack of representation in
science, technology and innovation is by ensuring access to
higher education, ensuring success within the space, ensuring
funding for postgraduate studies, and being intentional about
awareness and recruitment. We must as the portfolio committee
of course knows the efforts of the department in this regard
and the call on acceleration in realizing this.
Hon Manamela, it remains our priority to raise concerns on the
transformation of science and innovation in it placing as a
science for the people, by the people with the people.
Because, contrary to the beliefs of some and they will come
and follow in the debate. Contrary to the beliefs are some
science innovation is not an elitist department or will it not
be an elitist department, as it is critical being a catalyst
for the socioeconomic development of this country? Science and
innovation ought to respond to the daily socioeconomic
realities of the various communities of South Africa, and so
it does.
This we have collectively seen in the national system of
innovation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability
for South Africa’s national system of innovation to contribute

 


 
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to saving the lives of many, was based on South Africa’s
historic investment in building national science, technology
and innovation capabilities. A further example of how these
investments have built local capabilities is that in this year
alone, the country has launched a Hydrogen Society Roadmap
which the Minister has spoken to, which seeks to enable the
country to participate in the global hydrogen economy, that
will assist with the just energy transition and fulfil the
global aim of moving to net zero carbon emissions, in efforts
to curb and mitigate global warming.
Related to the challenge of global warming and climate change,
we acknowledge the disaster of the floods and KwaZulu-Natal,
Eastern Cape and Northwest. We say to the families who have
lost their loved ones ...
IsiXhosa:
... tutwini, akuhlanga lungehlanga ...
English:
... and to the other many families who are still looking for
their loved ones ...

 


 
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IsiXhosa:
... iNkosi mayibe nani.
English:
We really hope that through government intervention, you will
be able to find your loved ones.
Hon members, it is scientific innovations such as satellites
for earth observation used by the SA National Space Agency,
that provided the various agencies responding to the KwaZulu-
Natal Flood Disaster, with images showing the impact of the
flood. These images served to assist not only with the
immediate response efforts, but also the future planning in
terms of remediation and rebuilding. We implore the department
and its entities to play as greater role as it played in
responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, in providing science,
technology and innovation, STI dependent mitigations and
solutions, in response to the current floods and the overall
climate change crisis that the country is experiencing.
These investments in the sector have yielded testaments of how
science and innovation is critical in the inclusive
development of a capable and developmental state, and how...

 


 
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[Inaudible] ... in science and innovation as a catalyst for
the socioeconomic development of this country. It will be
important to instil a culture of valuing STI and integrating
it into government planning, and budgeting at the highest
levels. Thus making the finalization and implementation of the
decadal plan quintessential. We must reiterate in this august
House that we hon Minister, as the committee will be
supporting the department by hosting a joint committee
meeting, to look into how we can create an enabling and
inclusive governance environment for the societal integration
of science and innovation.
Hon members, we understand that the sector is required to do
more with less, concerning that whilst the budget allocation
increases nominally by about R120 million, bringing it to a
budget of R9,1 billion, when adjusted for inflation there is
actually a real decrease of 2,9%. While we share the concerns
of the department on how this may impede on the scale, speed
and impact on the department and its entities’ work, we must
implore on colleagues to ensure that, funds are used
appropriately, effectively and efficiently to avoid
underspending.

 


 
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We remain in all and support of the great work of the
Department of Science and Innovation. Just to speak on the
work that’s been done with hydrogen in South Africa, the type
of collaboration we saw were within the department, it is
across its entities as entities working with institutions of
higher learning to support the various pillars of higher
education, science and innovation, HESI. That particular type
of integration and collaboration of different government
agencies and public institutions is really phenomenal. It is
something that we really want to see take place across
government at large, particularly in integrating scientific
innovation into government.
Hon members in this month where on 8 May 1996, we adopted the
Constitution of this democratic South Africa, marking 26 years
of its existence. Allow me to dedicate this Budget Vote to the
late Ndoni Mcunu. Ndoni Mcunu who dies on 16 April 2022 at the
age of 33, was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of
Black Women in Science, a researchers programme that aims to
encourage the participation of women in science technology,
engineering and mathematics, careers, technology, mentoring
and education. Ndoni was a climate scientist and NRF and a PhD
candidate at the University of Witwatersrand. Her excellence

 


 
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was demonstrated by the number of accolades she held,
including being selected as a GreenMatter Fellow for her
academic research on climate change and agriculture. She was
also listed as one of the Top 50 most Inspiring Women in Tech
in South Africa in 2017 by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and
South Africa. She was one of the Top 200 Mail and Guardian
South Africans in 2016. There are many other accolades that
Ndoni had.
I dedicate this budget to Ndoni in this month that we
commemorate our Constitution because science, technology and
innovation must continue to assist us in bringing to life this
globally ...[Inaudible] ... Constitution, which seeks to
address the structural inequities in this country deeply
rooted in apartheid regime’s total disregard for equality for
all. The ANC moves for the adoption of the Budget Vote 35. We
commit ourselves Minister to supporting the Ministry, the
department entities and the sector at large in the
implementation of these plans within the given budget. Long
live the undying spirit of Ndoni Mcunu! Thank you very much
House Chair.

 


 
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Ms N I TARABELLA MARCHESI: Hon House Chairperson, first of all
I would like to express my heartfelt pain of what happened to
the student at the Stellenbosch University. As the DA we did
release a statement this morning condemning the act, because
we believe that this was uncalled for and as South Africans we
can never have a situation like this happening in any
university or in any institution of our learning. We welcome
the swift response by the leadership of Stellenbosch and we
urge everybody to kind of give the leadership of Stellenbosch
to be the ones to deal with the situation. I thank you.
Hon Chairperson, allow me to dedicate my Budget Speech to my
late professor, Prof Walubo. I wish to honour his legacy in
science and innovation. His contributions, particularly in the
faculty of health sciences in South Africa and
internationally, resulted in ground breaking research in
several platforms like liver enzymes and many other areas.
However, what stands out to me was his development of
indigenous knowledge system unit which we took over research
science and which continue to function carry his legacy at the
University of Free State. I will forever be grateful to him as
his former student and a colleague.

 


 
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Hon members, it is on the shoulders of this ex scientist we
stand. They exist in small pockets of our society, yet they
pioneer research that impacts our society in manners that we
can never comprehend. They make things happen and they do so
with limited resources, but carry their responsibilities with
intellect, vigour and go beyond their scope of work.
Hon Chairperson, our science research fraternity work under
challenging and unacceptable conditions. For instance, when we
visited with the committee the Square Kilometre Array, the
MeerKAT site in Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, we discovered
there that because of resources, they are unable to keep or
retain their scientists. That is poorly because of the limited
resources that they do not seem to have to keep the
scientists.
In addition, they exist in a community that has a severely
highly rate of foetal alcohol syndrome. They took upon
themselves to provide a science lab at a neighbouring school
in order to see scientists come out of Hannover.
Equally so in Sutherland, where the SA Astronomical
Observatory sites sits, it sits parallel to a society that is

 


 
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extremely impoverished with social ills. They allocated a
portion of their budget to hire a mathematics teacher to teach
at a nearby school.
In addition to donating a science laboratory equipment and
also a community centre as a way of assisting the community.
They could not exist in a space where there is no potential of
emerging scientists within its midst. Without a mathematics
teacher in Sutherland, chances of an astrology graduate coming
out of Sutherland becomes almost impossible.
We are indeed a caring nation that extends itself to land a
hand to one another. What we would like is a caring government
that can see potential in investing in our human capital. A
government that is not corrupt that does not steal money that
is intended to better the lives of the poor. Young South
Africans are full of talent. If that talent is not realised,
they become the Alon Musk of the world who turn to sucked
elsewhere instead of their country of birth.
Hon Chairperson, budget cuts have a rippled effect. Its impact
result into a chain reaction which impacts the project funding
which means that the time of the project is delayed. It

 


 
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impacts the number of researchers responsible to carry out the
project, because they are not certain if the funding will be
adequate to carry the project to fruition, nor the funding to
be optimal. It impacts on the spinoff company that could be
realise from such research, therefore impacting the potential
of job opportunities that we desperately need for our youth.
Hon members, we were told during this very budget debate in
2020, that the budget cuts on science and innovation was due
to the outbreak of COVID-19. Budget cuts in this Vote have
been going on for the last 20 years. What differs is which
programme is experiencing the budget cut. However, it has been
a continuous phenomenon. Yet according to the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, Main Science and
Technology Indicators, published in 2022 March and I quote:
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,
OECD, economies continued to increase investment in
research and development in 2020 despite the sharp
decline in economic activities due to the COVID-19
pandemic. The research and development expenditure in the
OECD area grew by 1,8% in real-time in 2020. While this
represent a sharp slowdown compared to previous years

 


 
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when the research and development was growing at 5%
annually, it marks the first time on record in which a
global recession did not translate into a drop in
research and development expenditures. This reflects how
investment in research and development have been an
integral part of the response to the crises.
However, in South Africa our target on research and innovation
for 2008 was a percent of the gross domestic product, GDP,
with an increase of 1,5% in 2019. Now we focussed a 1,1% of
the GDP in 2024, with a focus of 1,5% in 2030 purely because
our economy is not growing. In fact, we are regressing.
Hon Chairperson, the budget cuts come mostly because the
targets sometimes are not met. However, if you look at the
budget of science and technology that the targets sometimes do
not speak to targets that have been set. They do not seem to
be adequate enough. The budget is not adequate for those kind
of targets that have been set. Therefore, it sets the
department into failure, whereby they are unable to meet the
targets that they need. That is something that has to be
looked at. Alright. Thank you, Chairperson. [Time expired.]

 


 
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Mr S TAMBO: Hon House Chairperson, listening to the hon
Nzimande, one can only be left with immense depression that
the Minister which should tie himself on the department that
should lead development, has degenerated to be a glorified
host of seminar, symposiums and discussions with the global
world, while playing no meaningful role in contributing to its
developmental trajectory.
The white racist boy, who urinated on the desk, laptop and
belongings of a black student in Stellenbosch University, did
so precisely because we are a glorified host, who play no
meaningful role in science, innovation or the economy. The
racist white boy urinated on all of us, because Ministers such
as Nzimande and the President he praises, have not led a
government that warrants respect. As such, those who are
descendants of colonial conquest, urinate on us because, they
do not respect African people and they do not respect those
who lead us. For those who lead us are happy with platitudes
of presence and company of the develop world rather than
developing ourselves.
Hon House Chairperson, the EFF wishes to state unequivocally
that the continued underfunding of the Department of Science

 


 
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and Innovation is at the centre of this country’s dwindling
developmental agenda. There is a deliberate attempt to
undercut even the departments that show assemblance of
potential or capacity. This department is suffering no
different fate.
With a R9,1 billion budget allocation for the year 2022-23
which represents a real decrease of 2,95% when considering the
inflation, the marginal and superficial increases in some
areas becomes meaningless. The decrease from R87,7 million to
the R4,2 million in the budget allocation for environmental
innovation, is a spit in the face of the calls of renewable
energy and the bundling of fossil fuels which has been used in
the directionless disguise of abandoning the use of coal.
The lack of budgeting, but also the lack of basic presence of
the department to the social, economic and technological
terrain in the country, is precisely what has left this
country vulnerable to external forces guiding our repproach to
environmental issues and policy planning. This means that the
department is culpable in the junior status of South Africa in
the innovation space globally.

 


 
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The report reads that as of 30 September 2021, the department
had a vacancy rate of 23,3%, of which 17,4% is at senior
management level. This is a clear indication of the lack of
direction which characterises this department.
As the entire world shifts towards mechanising of increased
technological presence in the lives of ordinary people, South
Africa still grapples with challenges of spectrum allocation,
access to Internet, lack of access to water and pit toilets,
because the department that should lead innovation to
eradicate exclusion and poverty, is stagnant and budget cuts
are part and parcel of that reason.
House Chairperson, the last time we voted on the budget of
this department, we were extremely critical of the fact that
the department does not seem to play even an advisory role on
the trajectory of the state-owned enterprises and how they can
be lifted on the economic growth and innovation. It does not
seem that much has changed since then and the department is
emulating the importance of the President that has sets its
priorities.

 


 
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We are again in this report calling for crosscutting
departmental presence of this department’s agenda in
government repeating something that simply does not come to
fruition. The only priority that this government supposedly
emulated from the priorities of this country’s President, is
to entrench a lack of transformation in the sector and
unemployment.
The department cannot claim to meet immediate targets that it
has set with the budget constraints imposes on it. Meaning it
is subjecting us to nothing but some sub objective presented
to us for the sake of compliance. We therefore cannot
therefore in good conscience support this Budget Vote. Thank
you very much.
Ms M D HLENGWA: Thank you, Chairperson. Hon Chairperson, since
the outbreak of COVID-19, we have been witness to many
technological shifts in the way we work, socially interact and
prioritise our social and environmental responsibilities. Our
number one focus has been putting considerable effort into
addressing the shortcomings of our public health system. As a
result, science and innovation has a crucial role to play in
guiding the trajectory of South Africa in this regard.

 


 
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Science and innovation needs to play a more active role in
developing our national and global emergency protocols,
whereby factual information is the key driver to decision-
making by the government. With the development of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution and all its various tools, information
is readily available but not accessible to all. What is needed
is a more complete strategy that delves into the details of
the vision of the socioeconomic needs of the country, the
required supporting infrastructure across the economic
spectrum, as well as proper emergency response mechanisms.
This is something that government’s current National
Development Plan, NDP, falls short of in many aspects.
It is the duty of this department to ensure that science and
innovation becomes fully integrated in the decision-making of
all citizens of this country. For example, we have seen many
conspiracies, which have led to a surge of suspicion around
the COVID-19 vaccination, which could be attributed to a lack
of overall understanding of the treatment. This is something
that the government needs to invest in over the foreseeable
future, so that people are not misguided or coerced into
decisions because they do not have all the relevant
information readily accessible to them.

 


 
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Chairperson, we must strive to grow our capacity in support of
the Committee’s recommendations regarding its transformation
agenda. The development of transformation growth, beyond
funding at undergraduate levels of education, is a sought-
after reform for this sector. We are clear witnesses to the
tragic underrepresentation of skilled and capable women in the
science, technology and innovation fields. Women who come from
previously disadvantaged backgrounds need to be supported at
postgraduate level.
IsiZulu:
Abantu besifazane Ngqongqoshe uyabazi ukuthi le emakhaya
bafundile kodwa abanakiwe noma eseqashiwe ke eqashwe nomyeni
wakhe abefunda naye, ngumyeni wakhe ohola kakhulu. Bona nje
cha. Abanye baze bashintshe ngisho ama-“careers” abo,
Ngqongqoshe bayoba ngokheshi ezitolo ngoba abaqashekile.
Ngiyacela ukuthi lo Mnyango uke ubanake mhlawumbe ubeno-
“database’ yabo ukuze bazeke ukuthi bakhona khona le
eMambundwini, KwaCeza, Okhukho koDambuza. Noma sebeqashiwe ...
English:
... they are paid considerably less than their male
counterparts and underrepresented at all industries. This does

 


 
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not ... [Time expired.] ... The IFP support this Budget Vote.
Thank you.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon member.
Your time has expired. Hon Letsie, you had your hand up.
Mr W T LETSIE: Yes, Chair. I did not want to disrupt hon
Hlengwa there. However, I was just asking that if the camera
is not sitting right, can we switch it off, please? Thank you
very much.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Yes, hon members,
there is connectivity issues at the moment as we approach the
load shedding that will take place. So, you may switch off
your camera if you are experiencing difficulties. It will
definitely assist us so that we can complete this Budget Vote.
Thank you, hon Letsie. The next speaker is hon Boshoff.
Dr W J BOSHOFF: Thank you, Chair. Hon House Chair, the FF Plus
can be counted on to condemn racist conduct by students or
others. Experience has taught us to confirm the facts before
we make statements. A very unpopular person among members, I
have noticed, is the imaginary “trust fund kid” – a phenomenon

 


 
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some members seem to think is found behind every bush in some
communities. The reality is of course very different, but it
is easy indeed to dislike the beneficiary of someone else’s
labour, who thinks highly of his or her own merit, without
having demonstrated it. When such an imaginary trust fund
kid’s trust fund fails, the downfall might be rather brutal.
Having perhaps not utilised the benefits to cultivate the
knowledge, skills and attitude to benefit society, wealth may
soon become a distant memory.
Therefore, it is not only necessary to cultivate one’s own
abilities, but also to manage the fund to be feasible in the
long run. Some consumption is justifiable, but reinvestment to
keep the fund growing, is essential. What would this have to
do with the budget for science and innovation? The fact that
it is one of those departments which actually invests in the
future and future economies. Many other departments create
trust fund kids, by expending money on people who did not
contribute.
The state’s annual income is the trust fund. In theory, we are
all beneficiaries when we are young, we all become
contributors when we start working, and many of us become

 


 
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beneficiaries again when we are too old to work. This is
besides benefits enjoyed by people of all ages and
occupations. It is only when there are not jobs for everyone,
that some of us remain lifelong beneficiaries, without
contributing. Although this is never to be recommended, a
well-managed trust fund, or fiscus, may be able to deal with
it.
Afrikaans:
Die doel van hierdie Departement van Wetenskap en Innovasie is
om oorspronklike, vernuwende denke van ekonomiese belang te
bevorder. Dit is ‘n omgewing waarbinne stagnasie nie beteken
jy staan stil nie, maar dat jy agter raak. Dit is dus ‘n
departement wat voorkeur behoort te geniet, selfs as die
voordele nie dadelik sigbaar is nie. Die vraag is of
R9,1 miljard uit ‘n totale nie-rentebesteding van
R1,6 triljoen voldoende is.
English:
Just to mention the entities within the department; the
Academy of Sciences of South Africa works with R35,5 million,
the CSIR R3,46 billion, the Human Sciences Research Council,
HSRC, R559 million, the National Research Foundation, NRF,

 


 
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which also has to fund postgraduate students and various
cutting edge projects R4,3 billion, SA National Space Agency,
SANSA, the space agency, R316 million and the Technology
Innovation Agency, TIA, which evaluates and funds
technologically innovative and commercially viable enterprises
gets R583 million. In comparison, the Department of Small
Business enterprises, which finds it hard to demonstrate any
positive results, receives R2,56 billion from Parliament.
Afrikaans:
Wetenskap en innovasie as departement word nogal goed bestuur.
Daar is probleme, soos toe die Technology Innovation Agency,
TIA, die firma Kapa Biosystems heeltemal te goedkoop verkoop
het en ons kyk nog of die departement van die geld gaan kan
terugkry, en die heining rondom die Square Kilometre Array,
SKA, se 131 000 hektaar ... [Onhoorbaar.] ... wat steeds net
‘n belofte is. Verder is kontinuïteit, wat so belangrik in ‘n
kennisgedrewe ekonomie is, op die altaar van transformasie
geoffer.
Dit ... [Onhoorbaar.] ... soos genoem ... [Onhoorbaar.] ...
Noord-Kaapse onderwysdepartement nie kan ... [Onhoorbaar.] ...
as die omgewing waarin hy werk nie, en dan ... [Onhoorbaar.]

 


 
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... om energie as die visie net in daardie departement bestaan
het.
Suid-Afrika het baie hulpbronne, maar ook deurslaggewende
beperkings. Tegnologie en innovasie ... [Onhoorbaar.] ... maar
net gebruik tot dit op is en dan bedel? Of gaan ons belê wat
nodig is om lewensvatbaar te wees? Volgens hierdie begroting,
word die minimum belê in die vertroue dat wetenskaplikes die
wonderwerke wat nodig is sal verrig. Ek dank u.
Mnr W T LETSIE: Ons het niks gehoor nie, man. Jy praat te veel
Afrikaans.
English:
An HON MEMBER: What is happening?
An HON MEMBER: Maybe the Chair is cut off.
An HON MEMBER: Yes, it’s possible.
Ms T M JOEMAT-PETTERSSON: Hon members, it seems as if the
House Chairperson has been cut off. The hon Deputy Minister?

 


 
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THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND
INNOVATION: Thank you, new Chair who has taken over, members
of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and
Innovation led by the Chairperson, Ms Nomphendulo Mkhatshwa,
the Director-General of the department, Dr Phil Mjwara;
chairpersons and chief executive officers of the entities and
more importantly our Minister, hon Dr Blade Nzimande, who I am
joining today representing this Budget Vote speech.
Hon Chair, I want to start with joining in members who have
condemned in the strongest possible terms the incident that
happened at the University of Stellenbosch. Through the
Minister, this morning, the Ministry issued a statement
joining in in the condemnation and also welcoming the swift
action by the university and that we are urgently waiting for
the outcomes of the disciplinary committee that will be taking
place.
We have also instructed higher health to provide support to
all the students who have been affected by this incident. And
we hope that justice will prevail for those particular
stories. So, we will also observe that there are more stories
that are coming out exposing the extent of racism at the

 


 
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University of Stellenbosch. Some of these being disguised as
initiation practices. And we hope that the university
management together with the university community will reflect
on all of these incidents and ensure that action is taken and
also that we deal with racism wherever it rest its ugly head.
And we believe that the university itself together with the
university community and all stakeholders on campus are more
than capable in whatever support that they will need to work
hand to provide.
One of the critical roles of the Department of Science and
Innovation is anchoring science amongst the people, and
making sure that science works for their development and for
the economy.
In order to achieve our overarching goal of using science,
technology and innovation to reconstruct and rebuild South
Africa, we need a capable and responsive state. It is for
this reason that we have adopted the District Development
Model as a platform to enable innovation in districts and to
deploy innovation and technology solutions to district and
metropolitan municipalities.

 


 
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In implementing this, we continue to prioritise women and
young people. For example, young people from Tvet colleges
received training as part of the projects under the Hydrogen
Society Roadmap that was launched earlier this year.
Another initiative is our Innovation for Service Delivery
Programme. Through this programme, we will demonstrate and
pilot technologies and innovations to improve the delivery
of basic services in municipalities, against the backdrop of
the District Development Model.
More specifically, this programme will support the
demonstration and adoption of technology solutions for
improving access to quality basic services such as water,
waste management, sanitation and green renewable energy
solutions.
We take the pleasure of announcing that a project using ICT
platforms for electronic participation in policy processes
by young people will be piloted by five municipalities.
It is our firm believe that we must deliberately use
science, technology and innovation to advance socioeconomic

 


 
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transformation and the development of previously
marginalised indigenous knowledge forms.
Towards this end, the implementation of the Protection,
Promotion, Development and Management of Indigenous
Knowledge Act, 2019, also known as the IK Act, will lead to
the development of new policy initiatives.
Related to this will be the development of regulations that
will enable the implementation of the Indigenous Knowledge
System Act and the establishment of a special Service
Delivery Unit that will serve as the authority regulating
the IKA sector.
One of the most important developments in this regard is the
setting up of institutional units for the recognition of
prior learning in Indigenous Knowledge System disciplines.
This will be a novel contribution by our department for
developing that indigenous knowledge that resides outside
the formal system of learning.
Further to this is the deployment of innovation
infrastructure and innovation support of marginalised

 


 
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communities to increase innovation activities by locals to
address context-specific local economic challenges.
One such intervention is our Living Labs. By the end of
2021-22 financial year, five Living Labs have been funded in
township and rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal, Western
Cape, Eastern Cape and the Free State, supporting over 200
young emerging innovators.
At least 1 000 young people will go through innovation
support programmes, with varying numbers going through more
advanced stages of the innovation support. They will gain
ICT-related skills and receive support for innovations
relevant in local contexts.
At the start of 2022-23, partnerships have been entered into
to set up six additional labs, bringing the total number of
labs that will be supported in this financial year to 11. We
will be expanding with this to the Northern Cape province.
We regard human capital development and in particular the
development of young scientists and researchers as essential

 


 
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to the effectiveness and growth of our national system of
innovation.
Over a five-year period starting in 2017, we have awarded
bursaries to more than 58 000 postgraduate students. This
comprise 43 000 pipeline, which is honours, BTech and
master's and postgraduate bursaries and 15 483 PhD
bursaries.
In the current financial year 2021 a total of 5 000
graduates and students were placed in the DSI-funded work
preparation programmes, namely, the government's internship
programme and youth volunteer programme.
Close to 19 000 researchers were funded by the National
Research Foundation managed programmes and 41 635 research
articles were published by researchers awarded grants in the
same period.
We continue to implement the new Postgraduate Funding Policy
with more than 6 000 postgraduates comprising 2 200 being
PhD and 4 200 being pipeline students targeted for support

 


 
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in the current financial year. We intend to provide support
to 3 000 researchers in 2022-23.
In line with our commitment to promote grass roots
innovation, for the period under review, we have supported a
number of SMMEs that are owned by black young people. And
there is one success story, hon Chair, that through my
attention being that of a young black Mechanical Engineers,
Mogale Maleka and Tumelo Pule.
Under the auspices of the AB Farms, Maleka and Pule looked
at a way to upscale the vertical piper system for small
scale and commercial farming. Both were able to successfully
test the prototype and it is ready to commercialise the
irrigation product.
These innovative youngsters are now working with the
University of Johannesburg PEETS on the second phase to
develop an all energy-efficient solution and a more
sustainable system with minimal cost and value for money
during production.

 


 
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The innovation out of Maleka and Pule's work is that it has
the ability to store water within the design to reduce the
amount of energy required to grow produce while
simultaneously increasing the planting density per square
metre, thus reducing costs and increasing production
capacity.
Hon members, for the period under review, through our brand
campaign, we undertook a public communication drive to help
the public understand how an enabling our national system of
innovation can deliver solutions that address the country's
socioeconomic needs.
Our campaign focused on highlighting the fact that the
investments we are making today provide the opportunity for
a better future and that partnerships with the private
sector and other key societal role players will enhance
government's efforts to use innovation to improve the lives
of our communities.
The specific areas that the campaign focused on includes,
the need to enable viable and competitive industries and the
need to modernise agriculture and mining, and the need to

 


 
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develop sustainable energy and use of research to support
evidence-based decision-making within government.
We were for example, able to demonstrate how the investments
we made yesterday in research have enabled us to harness
today's information to drive better decision-making during
Covid-19.
For this financial period until 2024, our brand campaign
will focus on building the DSI's reputation as an enabler
that is transforming the national system of innovation.
In our engagement to the public communication, we will be
highlighting current and future benefits of the investments
we are making in such critical areas as health innovations,
digital economy innovations, circular economy actions and
other key areas.
In conclusion, hon members, these are but just some of the
interventions that we made during the period under review.
And we will remain mindful of the fact that there is still a
lot more to do in order to bring science closer to the
people. Thank you very much for listening.

 


 
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Ms D P SIBIYA: Thank you, Chairperson, greetings to everyone,
to build a science and innovation ecosystem government fiscal
allocation and innovation should be able to fund the vision of
the department as contained in the White Paper and the Decadal
Plan. We debate this budget vote when our nation is still
confronted with the HIV and Aids epidemic. We are still
confronted by the coronavirus pandemic. We recently
experienced climate change, floods causing a national disaster
and we are experiencing an increase in unemployment and
widening inequality. All these social, economic and ecological
challenges will continue to erupt various points of human
civilisation. The competitive edge to adapt and mitigate the
impact as a nation will also depend on the capacity and
capabilities of our science and innovation system. We are in a
period wherein various scientists have prepared ...
[Inaudible.] at the time of pandemics. As African National
Congress ...
IsiZulu:
... kumele sishayele izandla ...
English:

 


 
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TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
VOTE NO 35 – SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
Page: 56
... the Department of Science and Innovation which has
demonstrated world-class capabilities in supporting the
nation’s COVID-19 response. Hon Chairperson, it is important
to note that we need to increase our doctoral graduates as a
nation, to increase our research capacity. We must also
increase the number of doctorate, academic capacity in our
universities as the average number of academic’s doctorate as
the highest qualification in the sector in 2019 which was
47,7%.
IsiZulu:
Yaba ngaphansi kancane kweyangowe-2018.
English:
This reflects an increase in demand of PHD graduates in our
economy as universities struggle to increase their doctorate
capacity. The National Research Foundation plays a critical
role in relation to postgraduate studies and the department
should continue to advocate for an increase funding to realise
the NDP target of 5 000 PHD graduates annually. The budget
adjustment due to prioritising COVID-19 has declined
postgraduate targets. We welcome the budget allocation to
support 3 200 doctoral students and 10 900 postgraduate

 


 
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students studying their B-Tech honours and masters’
qualifications.
Hon members, this is a progress towards building human
expertise for our nation. Hon members, to increase the
research outputs, funding needs to be provided to increase and
government remains a significant contributor of research
funding and even increase research funding during the pandemic
high period, which yielded evident outcomes.
Hon members, what are the lessons which we should take from
the pandemic in relation of research funding, and what impact
the research can have in addressing our challenges? We welcome
the 4 700 researchers awarded research grants per year through
programmes managed by the National Research Foundation. It is
critical that our research focus is also oriented to respond
to our national objectives to create an equitable society.
To advance socioeconomic innovation, the budget will support
... [Inaudible.] of knowledge and innovation products added to
the industrial development and green economy intellectual
property portfolio. We welcome the focus of the department in
supporting green economy initiatives and we note the

 


 
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TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
VOTE NO 35 – SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
Page: 58
innovation which was launched by His Excellency President
Cyril Ramaphosa when the world’s largest mine haul truck
powered by green hydrogen named nuGen in Mogalakwena PGM mine
in Mopane Limpopo.
IsiZulu:
Sayibona kumabonakude, ababuka izindab. Abangazibuki izindaba
bazozwa bexoxelwa ematekisini.
English:
This a clear demonstration that our country can adapt to the
changing world in an environmentally sustainable manner. Hon
members, this is an important focus if we are to prepare our
economy to transition, to a low carbon economy. Innovation
will enable the country to be part of this development and
participate in value chains rather than being users of
technology, but be developers of technology. In our
engagements with the various entities of the department, we
questioned the capacity of early warning signs of our country
and the role of the Department of Science and Innovation. The
South African National Space Agency makes a critical
contribution through the space weather centre by proving early
warning systems to indicate how space weather could affect any

 


 
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MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
VOTE NO 35 – SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
Page: 59
technological system such as satellite TV and satellite
navigation technologies. These challenges require the
department to work with other departments.
IsiZulu:
Yonke iMinyango, ayikho ezosala eceleni, uhamba phambili
uMnyango weSayensi kanye nokuSungula izinto ezintsha.
English:
To ensure that user department has adequate systems to
translate the data into actionable intervention to mitigate
the impact of climate change disasters. Hon members, as the
South African National Space Agency is breaking grounds for
the nation, three locally produced nanosatellite were launched
in the United States. This demonstrated the opportunities
South Africa can build on. It also reflects our ability to
industrialise the economy if we increase investment in
research and development.
We have called on the department to expand the capacity to
occupy a prominent space in the global satellite value chain.
We have urged that entities supported by the department to
expand skills development of science scarce skills. This

 


 
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MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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budget provides support for the Human Science Research Council
with R321 million. The entity plays a major role in providing
social science research which shape policy in the development
and analysis of the social sector.
We further urge the department and its entities to further
support indigenous knowledge system, innovation and
acknowledge technological Innovation Agency R30 million
support for the Phela COVID clinical trial. This is a
collaboration by the University of Free State and the Beijing
University of Chinese Medicines, which is the country and the
subregional best for the traditional medicine controlled
clinical trials and clinical trials for COVID-19. Science and
innovation should be promoted in our society as this enables
to respond to the challenges confronting the nation. As the
ANC, we support the budget vote to continue to promote science
in our country and to support innovation.
IsiZulu:
Ngiyazibongela Sihlalo.
Ms C V KING: Thank you, House Chairperson. Colleagues in the
Science and Innovation sector, we welcome the University of

 


 
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MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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VOTE NO 35 – SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
Page: 61
Stellenbosch for the swift action on the unintended
consequence of racism that took place and is reminded again
how racialized policies has indoctrinated our youth and is
felt even today in policy.
Scientific and technological advances have been long
recognised as engines of rising prosperity and economic
growth. Whilst just over two years has passed since the start
of COVID-19 pandemic, and we moved towards a new normal, we
realised the restrictions enforced during the pandemic acted
as a catalyst to drive change. The way research was carried
out, mutated rapidly as a result of pressure placed on
scientists brought on by virus and its associated
restrictions.
In the meantime, 4IR technologies have offered a possibility
of ordering food and medicines online and delivering it right
at your doorstep. Mobile technology and artificial
intelligence integrated data collection source that can be
used for contact tracing, symptoms monitoring, detection of
outbreak and risk assessments. Instead of face to face
learning, universities and schools moved online using various
technological platforms such as Canva on Blackboard.

 


 
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TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
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Researchers continues to use WebEx to organised conference and
employers rely heavily on Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft
Teams for videoconferencing. Many of these platforms will
continue to flourish long after the pandemic has come to an
end.
South African universities collaborated liberated with
international and national government to produce Personal
Protective Equipment, PPEs and ventilators. Cape Peninsula
University of Technology collaborated with the Western Cape
government and the Department of Trade and Industry to develop
and manufacture PPEs for frontline workers and the general
public. The University of Johannesburg engineering team
designed and developed a portable 3D-printed mechanical
ventilator with a customised base plate to simultaneously
treat multiple patients.
Countries with science, technology and innovation orientated
global competitiveness strategies have sustainable
comparativeness and long term growth. A Budget of
R18,1 billion coupled 0,26% GDP expenditure on research and
development, which in 2016 was 7,5%, is a drop in the ocean
when we consider the South African research comparativeness

 


 
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Page: 63
and technological output. This is substantiated with
R5,1 billion in allocations to Programme 4, research
development and support. Once adjusted for inflation,
represent a real decrease of 2,2%.
The kleptocracy in our country have seen approximately
R1 billion of tax payers’ money spent on the Zondo Commission
to investigation lootings in state capture; estimated to have
cost the country over R49 billion. Let’s pause on this for a
minute. Our people are faced with steep food prices, 2litre
sunflower oil costing a R100. A 2,5kg sugar costing R55. A
2,5kg flour costing R27. And, a 2,5kg maize mail costing R28.
To squeeze the purse even more, petrol and electricity prices
have increased exponentially, making the cost of living
unaffordable for those living from pay check to pay check and
to ordinary citizens living below the living wage mark.
Money lost to state capture and expenditure on the Zondo
Commission could have been directed into research and
development of food security and hydrogen measures to mitigate
and adapt to climate change and innovative, infrastructure
development to relieve the tight squeeze purse of our fellow
countrymen.

 


 
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Page: 64
So yes Mr President, science and technology is vital to bring
about economic growth. This is achievable through foreign
direct investment to promote and exchange scientific and
technological knowledge and accelerate the national diffusion
of import technologies. South Africa’s brotherhood with
countries in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa,
BRICS have excluded Taiwan and Israel ... [Inaudible.] ...
commitment to share the technological advancements in health
care, Tax Start-ups and water and food security, all to the
benefits of citizens and knowledge generation. These signs
have once again shown that what is good for the citizens of
this country, is not necessarily good for the ANC.
All systems are in place at the Science, Innovation and
Innovation entities. It just needs a reprioritised view and
science to ensure economic activities are science and
innovation driven. How can this be done? The National Advisory
Council on Innovation should play a pivotal role in the advice
to the Presidency to ensure that all government departments
have synchronised priorities and measures in place to realise
the economic, reconstruction and recovery to offset the
ticking time bomb of unemployment.

 


 
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Minister, there is genuine fear that these cuts will damage
... [Inaudible.] ... irrevocably, and that once they are
taking place, it will be beyond repair. However, Minister,
racialized policies are chasing people out of this country who
could do a meaningful contribution. You don’t have to take my
word for it. You just need to ask Elon Musk why he left South
Africa. I thank you.
Mr B S YABO: House Chair, I was just having a bit of a
struggle with technology, setting it up. Hon House Chair, in
his state of the nation address this year, His Excellency the
President Matamela Ramaphosa, stated that the role of
government is to bring the conducive environment for economic
growth and job creation to happen. It is therefore the duty of
government to incubate an innovation led economic ecosystem
that allows for exponential growth domestic product, GDP,
growth through the exploitation of emerging ... [Inaudible.]
... technologies.
House Chairperson, we are currently living in an epoch of the
fourth industrial revolution. All these technological
advancements are critical component for the competitiveness of
the nation’s economy. Developed nations have distinguished

 


 
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Page: 66
themselves from innovation. And due to their agility of
adopting technological innovation as part of production and
other uses.
The question for as a nation is whether we are accorded
innovation the appropriate focus and support, to address our
socioeconomic challenges. We should further ask whether our
country has the innovation capability. The answer is yes;
South Africa has the innovation capability. The limitation is
the inadequate expenditure percentage of GDP, with a gross
expenditure on research and development sits at 0,83% in
2017-18, to 0,75% in 2018-2019 but it is currently sitting at
0,60% of the DGP, which is a decline, one of the target is
1,5% of the GDP.
Comparatively, our expenditure as a nation, inclusive of the
private sector and public sector is lower than other
developing countries such as Brazil with an expenditure of
1,16% of GDP in 2019. It’s therefore incumbent on government
and the private sector to prioritize investment in our
domestic research and innovation ecosystem.

 


 
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As a country we have relatively high innovative researcher
output in the overall growth rate between 2005 to 2010, at
8,06% which if developed some of the outputs can result in
commercial viable enterprises. Which will contribute to
addressing some of our social challenges and contribute to
economic growth.
Commercialization is an important mandate of the department
and its entities. And its programme of technological
innovation. This budget vote provides an allocation of
R458,4 million to the technology innovation agency.
We support efforts by the department to strengthen a
technology innovation agency through a ministerial review to
address amongst other things the lack of funding and a weak
commercialisation record. And benefits of innovation which are
not even distributed spatially and demographically.
The entity should be strengthening and more funding should be
secured for the entity to attain its mandate of supporting the
state and stimulating and intensifying technological innovator
to improve economic growth and quality of life for all South
Africans.

 


 
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We welcome the efforts of the department and the entities in
partnering with the private sector and other projects. What we
need to strengthen is our ability to crowd in investment to
support different innovation and to penetrate the market. We
are seeing the steady growth of new markets and the effort to
state off the negative effects of global warming such as
electric vehicles, renewable energy and power storage
technologies.
Major developments in the international stage such as the war
between Russia and Ukraine and the consideration of the No
Pact Bill in the United States, US, will accelerate the use of
renewable energy sources and electric vehicles as oil prices
soar to the unprecedented levels.
Our country stands at a ... [Inaudible.] ... of being a front
runner in exploiting the abundant resources of hydrogen power
at our disposal in our energy mix. Venture capital investors
should be encouraged to fund starters in this and other fields
to harness the innovation potential of the country and to grow
our economies through new economic sectors which can emerge.

 


 
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TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
VOTE NO 35 – SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
Page: 69
The department has targeted to generate 365 knowledge products
including public peer review scientific articles and the
filling of applications for the registration or granting of
intellectual property rights.
Intellectual rights protection is an important function the
department should continue to provide. From the national
intellectual property right management office. The department
should monitor the development of the intellectual property in
public entities. As this are at times not protected by the
institutions resulting in individual commercialization
publicly funded research without public benefit.
The recent coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the fact that
despite public funding research on the coronavirus some of the
publicly funded research has resulted in private innovation,
resulting to profit sharing being a priority.
We welcome the department’s initiative of working with the
industrial development cooperation to increase funding support
for innovation.

 


 
UNREVISED HANSARD
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TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
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House Chairperson, government can play a critical role in
promoting domestic science and innovation. The Department of
Higher Education, Science and Innovation and its entities have
the capability to respond to numerous challenges confronting
different government departments and state-owned enterprises.
It is therefore critical, at national departments, state-owned
enterprises, provincial government and local government need
to leverage science and innovative initiative. A capable
developmental state should be able to leverage its own human
and technical capability to respond to challenges, it is
confronted with.
Hon members, artificial intelligence is transforming work as
we know it. Various services in business process are being
undertaken by robots and other innovations. As a nation how
are going to ensure that this changes do not become disruptive
such that they worsen inequality and poverty?
Hon members, a critical process which is yet to be fully
undertaken is the systematic integration of the Department of,
Science and Innovation and Higher Education and Training. The
merging of this department is conceptually correct. In order

 


 
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MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
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to strengthen the dialectical relationship of science and
innovation and higher education and training.
The Minister was recently in the United States of America,
USA, California, Silicon Valley and the area is a typical
integrated system of research and innovation and access to
finance, relatively being abandoned. We the department will
review other systems, indigenous systems for our own
conditions.
On health innovation the medical device and diagnostic
technology innovation cluster, is the initiative we support it
aims to stimulate and intensify technology, as well as
creating an enabling environment in support of increasing the
competitiveness of the industry. Key partners are the South
African Medical Research Council, the industry associations,
the Industrial Development Cooperation, the Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, the Department of
Trade and Industry and Competition, the National Department of
Health and the Global Health Innovation Accelerator.
These are types of initiatives which the department should
expand in different economic clusters. And the infusion of


 
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universities to ensure that all initiatives result to valuable
skills development for the youth and women. And this is why
the incident that would have happened in Stellenbosch
University does not auger well for the project of building a
cohesive society in general to pursue lawless production that
assist us in our economy.
House Chairperson, the Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research plays an important role in the innovation ecosystem
through fostering of industrial and scientific development and
the national interest through multidisciplinary research and
technological innovation, to improve the ability of the state
for efficiently deliver basic services in fields such health,
education, social security, energy and shelter to all South
Africans.
Recently the CSIR, Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research launched software which addresses of learners to be
able to read, due to visual empairment ... [ Inaudible.] ...
low literacy and other special educational needs. The software
breaks down these various by adding audio to publications and
synchronising it with a text in any of the 11 South African
official languages.

 


 
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The CSIR has developed a zero liquid gestures technology to
minimise ecological footprints of acid mine drainage. Revenue
generated from the resale recovered minerals in the process
will offset the running cost of the system making it self-
sustainable.
Increasing in research and development finance is an
imperative to support industrialisation efforts and our
scientists and innovators have demonstrated that they can
respond to our national developmental needs.
It is important to also state that the development of
Intellectual Property, IP and knowledge production requires
peer review, as part of the route to market and ensuring that
ideas are commercially viable. And so, what hon member ...
[Inaudible.] ... talk shows by the Minister and attending to
all those without having outputs, is incorrect because the
production of knowledge for commercial output, requires peer
review. And indeed will have that happening, the process of
attaining economic growth as part of the off spins. The ANC
supports the budget vote, to ensure we support our country’s
potential innovation and use it to develop and grow our
economy. Thank you very much House Chair.

 


 
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TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2022
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Page: 74
The MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION: Hon
House Chair, hon Tina Joemat, let start by thanking all those
who supported this budget vote and thank the hon Chairperson
Mkhatshwa for the points that she actually raised.
And also as our Deputy Minister said, we did issue a statement
earlier today condemning this incident at Stellenbosch
University. And I have indicated in the statement I am
awaiting a fuller report from the university once they’ve
taken all the actions that they have outlined.
I also wish to point out that the point raised by hon
Mkhatshwa about the need to play an important role in placing
Science, Technology and Innovation, STI, initiatives to tackle
COVID-19; it’s an important point.
I also just need to emphasize that, indeed, we did a lot, even
the World Health Organization, WHO, acknowledged that we
creatively used science in our daily management of COVID-19 in
a very creative way. We pursued a multidisciplinary approach,
we set up very early in the epidemiology and its evolution of
the epidemic genetic surveillance, we set up a scientific data
observatory and attitude surveys that were led by the Human

 


 
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Sciences Research Council, HSRC, and the National Institute
for the Humanities and Social Sciences, NIHSS, just to mention
some of the things.
To hon Machesi, what I would like to say, by the way, it’s not
correct to say that the community of Carnarvon and surrounding
areas where the Square Kilometre Array, SKA, is, are not
benefiting, it’s just not true, at all. The very fact that we
chose that side for SKA location was in itself an intervention
to change that place that it shall never be the same. We have
many other initiatives, for instance. We have established an
artisanal technical training centre there, we have trained 50
Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises, SMMEs, in
entrepreneurship other related skills, we have actually spent
about R170 million on local suppliers and 90% of staff
employed there is actually local. But it’s not only that, we
are also using our technology stations, grassroots innovation,
to support innovation both in urban and in other rural areas
in our country.
Sometimes I feel, with due respect, to respond to the EFF is
not really worth it because it looks like hon Tambo, since he
was made a spokesperson, he’s thinking about everything else

 


 
UNREVISED HANSARD
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other than what the EFF has deployed him for in Parliament. He
seems not to even understand what we are doing. Just go and
reread or just listen on YouTube on my budget vote so that you
see how much work that we are doing.
IsiZulu:
Mama oyilungu elihloniphekile le IFP ngiyavumelana nawe
ngendaba yokuthi siqinise ukuthi abasifazane bangene kule
mikhakha yezobuchwepheshe ...
English:
... that’s why we have Women in Science Award. And thanks to
the IFP for supporting us.
Hon Boshoff, yes, we agree with you. As other members have
said, our budget is not enough. We can do with much more
money. But we are not sitting on our [Inaudible.] What we are
doing, for instance, through the decadal plan and the
establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Science,
Technology and Innovation, we are pulling investment into STI
from across government so that we are better able to
coordinate and maximise the impact of those funds. We are also
in the process of establishing the sovereign innovation fund.

 


 
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Thanks also to uMama [Ms] Sibiya about emphasizing what we are
doing on postgraduate studies and research on the green
economy.
Hon King, I don’t know, maybe you will have to explain at some
other stage. I heard you saying that the unintended
consequences of the urinator at Stellenbosch, was that
unintended, what the urinator said? Maybe you will explain to
us because I actually just found that a bit of a shocking
statement on your part.
Hon Yabo, thanks for your comments as well. We are actually
not trying; we are coordinating. STI spent a mainstreaming
science, technology and innovation through our decadal plan.
And we do want to say that with this budget vote, we are in
for a very exciting financial to achieve the goals of making
science to serve our people better.
As hon, our late President, Mandela said, it always seems
impossible until it is done. Thank you very much, hon Chair.
Business concluded.

 


 
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Page: 78
House adjourned at 15:42.

 

 


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