Reply:

1. The number of A and B rated researchers is 831 and not 2 000. The restructuring of the Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers (IFRR) instrument will benefit emerging and early career researchers as well as established researchers through the following instruments, viz., (i) Competitive programme for Rated Researchers (CPRR); (ii) Competitive Support for Unrated Researchers (CSUR); and (iii) Thuthuka.

Based on the current MTEF budget, it is estimated the approximately R30 million per annum will be re-directed and used to supplement the above funding instruments.

2. Yes, all areas of possible savings were considered in terms of the NRF's operational and financial sustainability plans. However, only the IFRR programme was deemed relevant in terms of the directive from the National Treasury that the NRF must implement measures to increase cost savings without compromising its core mandate of research support and advancement.

3. The IFRR programme was never intended to be a primary instrument of the allocating research grants and driving student education or research output. The R30 million released from restructuring the IFRR constitutes only 1.25% of the R2.4 billion annual allocations for researcher and postgraduate and student support. The released funds will be re-allocated for researcher and student support through other funding instruments.

 

Reply:

(1) In 2016/17 there were 2 multi-year projects that were being funded and are in the cyber/information security space.

a) The development of a prototype for the Biometric Recognition of Minors. Its total budget over 2015/16 - 2017/18 is R 14 977 561, of which R 8 648 983 was for 2016/17. In its conceptualisation the project received endorsement from the South African Social Services Agency (SASSA), and is being implemented by the CSIR.

b) The implementation of the Network Emulating and Simulation Laboratory (NESL). Its total budget over 2014/15-2016/17 was R7 887 000. of which R1 049 500 was for 2016/17. The project was funded through the High-end Infrastructure grant. The NESL is a platform that aims to provide cybersecurity researchers with the ability to perform network bandwidth modelling, cybersecurity training, device security research and advanced analytics to study cyber risk and to deliver effective and practical security solutions. It is implemented by CSIR.

Therefore, the total investment for investment for 2016/17 is R9 698 483.

Reply:

1. The Department granted permission to employees as follows:

• 2015-2016 = 01 employee
• 2016-2017 = 07 employees
• 2017-2018 = 09 employees

2. Only 1 employee was doing business with the government.

(a) Cleaning and vegetation with Eskom

(b) 2014-2016;

(c) R35 506,95 payable every second or third month. The employee has since resigned from company.

 

Reply:

1. (a) Refer to Annexure A for the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

(b) Refer to Annexure B for entities.

2. (a) Refer to Annexure A, column H for the services provised, for the DST.

Refer to Annexure B for the entities.

(b) Refer to Annexure A, column F for the amount spent per service provider for DST.

Refer to Annexure B for entities.

3. (a) The following has reference:

	Black Owned
The DST	759
Entities	1453

(b) Refer to Annexure C, column H for the contracts awarded to black owned suppliers by the DST.

Refer to Annexure B for the entities.

(c) Refer to Annexure C, column G for amount paid to black owned suppliers for the DST.

Refer to Annexure B for entities.

Reply:

No	Entity	1 (a)	1 (b)
1	Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)	No	No
2	Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)	No	No
3	South African National Space Agency ( SANSA)	No	No
4	Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)	No	No
5	National Research Foundation (NRF)	No	Yes
6	Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF)	No	N/A*
7	National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI)	No	N/A

2. 

Entity	2 (a)	2(a)	2(b)(i)	2(b)(ii)
CSIR	CEO	Dr T Dlamini	1 February 2017	31 January 2022
	CFO	Ms A van Tonder ( Acting CFO )	1 September 2017	30 November 2017
TIA	CEO	Mr Barlow Manila	1 April 2015	31 March 2020
	CFO	Mr Wener van der Merwe	1 January 2015	31 December 2019
SANSA	CEO	Dr V Munsami	1 January 2017	31 December 2021
	CFO	Ms Bulelwa Pono	1 May 2016	30 April 2021
HSRC	CEO	Prof Crain Soudien	1 September 2015	31 August 2020
	CFO	Ms Crystal Abdol	1 September 2017	30 August 2019
NRF	CEO	Dr Molapo Qhobela	1 January 2016	31 December 2018
ASSAF	CEO	Prof Roseanne Diab	1 May 2008	31 December 2018
NACI	CEO	Dr Mlungisi Cele (Acting)	17 August 2015	16 February 2018

Reply:

1. Question 1 answers on bonuses paid out to employees in 2016/17:

(a) The total amount to be paid in bonuses to employees is not available. The projections have not been submitted as yet for the Minister’s approval.

(b) Detailed breakdown of the bonus will be made available as soon as the Minister has approved the payment of bonuses to employees.

2. Question 2 answers on bonuses to be paid out to employees in 2017/18:

(a) The total estimate amount that will be paid out in bonuses for 2017/18 financial year will be 1.5% of the compensation budget.

(b) Detailed breakdown of the bonus that will be paid out to each employee in each salary level will be known after 2017/18 annual assessments are finalised.

Reply:

(a) Department of Science and Technology

The Department has a mandate of overseeing the national system of innovation (NSI), thus to create and enabling environment for the NSI to unlock the potential for economic growth trough science, technology and innovation. The basis for this is the creation of new knowledge through research and development (R&D), and exploitation thereof. In achieving this, the Department and its six entities , namely, the

Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), the Academy of Science South Africa (ASSAF), and the National Research Foundation (NRF) perform research and disburse funding to various institutions that conduct research and development. Table details of funding transferred to various institutions for R&D projects (bbb).

Table 1: Institutions supported by DST

Institution (aa)(aaa)	Supported since: (bb)	Funding (cc)
University of the Western Cape	2008	R5.3m
North-West University	2014	R7.6m
Agricultural Research Council	2003	R400.m
South African Medical Research Council	2012	R316.4m
Nelson Mandela University	2016	R750 000
Forestry South Africa	2014	R25m
Winetech	2015	R12m
Fresh Produce Exports Forum	2014	R30m
Sugar Milling Research Institute	2016	R15m
Paper Manufactures Association of South Africa	2015	R9m
Citrus Research International	2015	R15m
Stellenbosch University	2016	R341 824
Water Research Council	2014	R35.5m
South African National Biodiversity Institute	2015	R1.5m
Department of Environmental Affairs	2015	R2.8m
University of Cape Town	2015	R12.8m
Pelchem	2012	R93.8m
Tswane University of Technology	2014	R330 000
University of the Witwatersrand	2014	R330 000

(b) DST entities

The disbursement of research and technology development funds is primarily the function of the NRF and TIA, respectively. The NRF has a dual mandate to disburse research funds and conduct in-house R&D through national facilities. In 2013, the Minister of Science and Technology published a set of regulations on which institutions the NRF can support ("Declaration of Research Institutions fundable by the NRF"). The NRF adheres to this 'Declaration' document in deciding which institutions to support. It must be pointed out that according to the Declarations, these institutions are public research institutions that conduct basic research (in line with the mandate of the NRF) and are established by relevant Acts to support basic research priorities of different line departments. Examples in this regard include the South African National Parks, the South African Weather Services, and the Onderstepoort Biological Products. TIA supports organisations that are aligned with its mandate of innovations through technology development, and o not have grant-making functions. Tables 2 to 4 provide details of the institutions funded by TIA,NRF, and SANSA.

Table 2: TIA

Institution (aa)(aaa)	Supported since (bb)	Funding (cc)
Agricultural Research Council	2010	R48.5m
Cape Peninsula University of Technology	2010	R82.3m
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	2010	R98.1m
Central University of Technology	2010	R34.1m
Durban University of Technology	2010	R28.6m
Fort Hare University	2010	R5.4m
MINTEK	2010	R0.2m
Medical Research Council	2010	R2.2m
Mangosuthu University	2012	R36.2m
The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation SOC Limited	2010	R5.3m
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University	2010	R134.6m
North West University	2010	R87.1m
Onderstepoort Biological Products	2012	R37.1m
Rhodes University	2010	R3.2m
Tshwane University of Technology	2010	R110.5m
University of Cape Town	2010	R136.8m
University of the Free State	2010	R40.3m
University of Johannesburg	2010	R57.4m
University of Kwazulu Natal	2010	R17.8m
University Limpopo	2010	R26.1m
University of Pretoria	2010	R77.1m
University of Stellenbosch	2010	R67.7m
University of Venda	2010	R5.0m
University of Zululand	2012	R1.9m
University of Western Cape	2010	R16.8m
Wits University	2010	R34.3m
Vaal University of Technology	2012	R57.0m
Walter Sisulu University of Technology	2012	R11.1m
mLab	2015	R5.5m
Innovation Hub	2012	R29.2m

Table 3: NRF

Institution (aa)(aaa)	Period (bb)	Funding (cc)
Africa Institute of South Africa	2014	R94 000
African Equations	2003	R120 000
African Institute for Mathematical Sciences	2016	R6.7m
African Renaissance Development Institute	2002	R54, 000
Agricultural Research Council	2002-2016	R186,7m
Albany Museum	2002-2016	R3,2m
Amathole Museum	2005-2016	R613 540
Atomic Energy Corporation	2005	R11 804
Bayworld Centre for Research and Education	2015-2016	R1,3m
Black Science, Technology and Engineering Professionals	2006	R30 000
Border Technikon	2002-2006	R723 795
Cape Peninsula University of Technology	2002-2016	R184.4m
Central University of Technology	2002-2016	R71.9M
Centre for Advancement of Science and Mathematics Education	2002 and 2005	R357 966
Centre for Education Policy Development	2008-2009	R740 878
Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research (CPGR)	2015	R110 489
Centre of Science & Technology of the Non-aligned and other Development	2006	R63 870
Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)	2007-2016	R22.3m
Coaltech 2020	2007-2008	R3.1m
Committee on data for Science and Technology	2003-2006	R104 638
Consumer goods council of South Africa	2006	R21 043
Council for Geoscience	2006-2016	R4.5m
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	2002-2016	R335.8m
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries	2011-2016	R1.2m
Department of Environmental Affairs	2004-2011	R38.3m
Ditsong National Museum of Natural History	2002-2016	R3.7m
Institution (aa)(aaa)	Period (bb)	Funding (cc)
Durban University Technology	2002-2016	R945 106
Durban Natural Science Museum	2013-2016	R176.3m
East Coast Biotech Trust T/A Lifelab	2008-2010	R1.4M
East London Museum	2009-2016	R705 577
Eastern Cape Technikon	2002-2006	R2.1m
Elsenburg Agricultural Research Centre	2007-2016	R13.3m
Endangered Wildlife Trust	2005	R11 060
eThekwini Muncipality	2005-2008	R320 716
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife	2002-2016	R3.1m
Foundation for education, science and technology	2003	R150 000
Gwala khumalo vilakazi aids cancer research centre	2004	R80 000
Hartebeeshoek Radio-Astronomical Observatory	2004 and 2006-2012	R64.5M
Hermanus Magnetic Observatory	2003 and 2055-2011	R19.9m
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)	2002-2016	R15.8M
Institute for Soil, Climate and Water	2002-2006	R216 796
Institute of Tropical and Subtropical Crops	2004-2006	R684 920
International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (ICGEB)	2008 and 2013-2016	R14.3m
iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator- Based Sciences	2002-2016	R208.8m
Iziko Museums of Cape Town	2002-2016	R17.1m
KwaZulu-Natal Museum	2002-2016	R3.1m
KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board	2002, 2005, 2006 and 2016	R248 843
Mangosuthu University of Technology	2002-2016	R26.2m
McGregor Museum	2005, 2014-2015	R640 147m
Mintek	2003-2012	R45.0m
Mpumalanga Parks Board	2006 and 2008	R12 191
MTN Sciencentre	2003	R25 000
National Bioinformatics Network	2005	R1.4m
National Centre of Atmosperic Research	2003	R71 265
National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS)	2002-2015	R5.9m
National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)	2009-2014	R6.5m
National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA)	2009-2011 and 2013	R820 672
National Museum	2002-2016	R13.1m
National Zoological Gardens	2008-2016	R54.2m
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University	2002-2016	R72.3m
North-West University	2002-2016	R740.3m
Nuclear Energy Corporation of SA (NECSA)	2005 and 2007-2016	R46.6m
Oceanographic Research Institute (SAAMBR)	2002-2016	R12.9m
Palaeo-Anthropology Trust	2002-2016	R30.4m
PBMR (PTY)Ltd	2008-2010	R228 056
Peninsula Technikon	2002-2016	R13.1m
Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld)	2002-2016	R16.6m
Institution (aa)(aaa)	Period (bb)	Funding (cc)
Port Elizabeth Technikon	2002-2011	R24.8m
Rhodes University	2002-2016	R467.4m
SA Medical Research Council	2002-2005	R724 920
Sea Fisheries Research Institute	2006-2007	R150 000
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University	2012-2016	R 21.2m
South African Astronomical Observatory	2005-2012	R110.4m
South African Environmental Observation Network	2005 and 2008-2012	R55.3m
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity	2002-2012	R74.7m
South African Institute of Chartered Accountants	2005-2012	R220.1m
South African Medical Research Council (SAMRAC)	2006-2012	R25.4m
South African National Biodiversity Institute	2002 and 2005-2016	R16.8m
South African National Space Agency (SANSA)	2011-2016	R22.7m
South African Sugar Association Experiment Station	2003-2004	R102 000
South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI)	2007-2016	R2.5M
South African Weather Services	2009 and 2013-2016	R585 520
Southern Cape Herbarium	2002,2006 and 2008	R85 000
Square Kilometre Array South Africa	2008,2010 and 2013	R1.5m
Stellenbosch University	2002-2016	R2.1b
Technikon Northern Gauteng	2002-2004	R794 439
Technikon North-West	2002-2004	R67 608
Technikon Pretoria	2002-2007	R16.7m
Technikon SA	2002-2004	R298 717
Technikon Witwatersrand	2002-2007	R13.8m
Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)	2010	R735 000
Tshwane University of Technology	2005-2012	R388.5m
University of Cape Town	2002-2016	R2.4b
University of Fort Hare	2002-2016	R209.5m
University of Johannesburg	2002-2016	R557.4m
University of KwaZulu-Natal	2002-2016	R1.1b
University of Limpopo	2002-2016	R172.4m
University of Mpumalanga	2016	R181 905
University of Pretoria	2002-2016	R1.3b
University of South Africa	2002-2016	R169.1m
University of Free State	2002-2016	R409.8m
University of the North	2002-2008	R18.2m
University of the North (Qwaqwa Campus)	2002-2004	R3.9m
University of the Western cape	2002-2016	R724.4m
University of the Witwatersrand	2002-2016	R1.6b
Institution (aa)(aaa)	Period (bb)	Funding (cc)
University of Venda	2002-2016	R138.1m
University of Zululand	2002-2016	R109.0m
Vaal University of Technology	2002-2016	R84.0m
Vista University	2002-2003	R1.1m
Walter Sisulu University	2002-2016	R90.5m
Water Research Commission	2006	R12 000
International
Brigham Young University	2003-2004	R215 729
Brown University	2002	R205 095
Clarkson University	2003-2005	R238 341
Cornell University	2002-2004	R231 681
Emory University	2004	R5 000
Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nuernberg	2003-2004	R228 660
Global Biodiversity Information Facility	2005-2006	R691 425
Icamagu Institute	2003	R65 550
International Continental DRILLING Programme	2005-2006	R274 300
International Federation for Information Processing	2005-2006	R25 255
International Union of Microbiological Societies	2005-2006	R33 155
Inyathelo Training & Development	2002-2003	R115 000
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven	2003-2006	R325 265
Leiden University	2002-2005	R373 370
Mcgill University	2004	R5 000
Mobile Telephone Networks (MTN)	2003-2004	R53 911
Monash South Africa	2010-2012	R67 040
Musicon	2004	R2 000
Northwestern University	2003	R5 000
Nova Southeastern University	2006	R5 000
Oregon State University	2004	R5 000
Pennsylvania State University	2005-2006	R237 332
PSYSSA	2006-2007	R66 722
Queen's University at Kingston	2002-2004	R259 677
Rutgers University	2003	R83 790
Sebmor Exclusive Clothing Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences	2004	R10 000
Swedish School of Agricultural Science	2003	R5 000
The London School of Economics & Political Science	2003	R101 585
The University of IOWA	2003-2005	R282 401
The University of Reading	2005-2006	R248 857
Universiteit Antwerpen	2002-2003	R308 238
University College London	2004	R5 000
University of Arizona	2003	R253 085
University of Cambridge	2004-2005	R15 000
University of Chicago	2005	R5 000
Institution (aa)(aaa)	Period (bb)	Funding (cc)
University of Connecticut	2005	R102 995
University of Dhuram	2004-2006	R313 723
University of East Anglia	2005-2006	R100 000
University of Florida	2005-2007	R240 678
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	2003-2004	R250 975
University of London	2002-2008	R604 138
University of Manchester	2005-2007and 2011	R442 893
University of Maryland	2003	R5 000
University of Oxford	2005	R5 000
University of Southampton	2004	R420 428
University of Strathclyde	2002	R5 000
University of Tasmania	2002-2003	R190 062
University of Uppsala, Sweden	2004-2005	R200 465
University of Victoria	2002	R5 000
University of Washington	2002-2003	R199 071
University of Wisconsin-Madison	2002	R5 000
University of Zurich	2002-2003	R228 078
Wageningen University	2005	R5 000

Table 4: SANSA

Institution (aa)(aaa)	Period of support (bb)	Funding (cc)
University of Kwazulu Natal	2011-2017	R2.1m
Cape Peninsula University of Technology	2015-2017	R16.5m

Reply:

1. (a) The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) was established in 2005; and to date, 199 research chairs have been awarded, of which 195 are filled and four are vacant.

(b) (i) Of the 195 filled research chairs, 81 (42%) are in the natural and agricultural Sciences, 59 (30%) are in the humanities and social sciences 39 (20%) are in health and medical sciences, and 16 (8%) are in engineering and applied technology fields.

(ii) of the 199 awarded research chairs, 12 (6%) are hosted by the universities of technology (UoTs), 25 (13%) by comprehensive universities and 162 (81%) by traditional universities;

(iii) SARChI is a strategic programme of government aimed at attracting established researches from industry and abroad to the higher education sector. Of the 195 filled research chairs, 152 (78%) research chairs are occupied by established researchers drawn from local higher education institutions, and 43 (22%) research chairs are occupied by established researchers attracted from industry and abroad; and

(iv) a total amount of R2 billion has been invested by the Department of Science and Technology (DST); and in the same period, more than 4 billion was leveraged from other sources by the research chairs. The total cost of SARChI in each specified year is summarized in Table 1.

Table 1: SARChI investment over years

Service Year	Award Year	Total No. of Chairs	Total (R '000)
0	2017	195	482 200
1	2016	190	471 500
2	2015	149	376 500
3	2014	142	350 400
4	2013	124	309 800
5	2012	91	229 700
6	2011	90	227 000
7	2010	79	183 500
8	2009	72	166 000
9	2008	70	161 000
10	2007	34	80 000
11	2006	3	7500

2. (a) All research chairs that underwent the first five-year review cycle were renewed. In 2015/16 financial year, a research chair in indigenous Knowledge Systems that was held by Prof. NI Goduka at the Walter-Sisulu University (WSU) was rescinded due to internal institutional issue which led to lack of performance by chair.

(b) During the last quarter of the 2016/17 financial year, a second five-year review process was initiated for a total of 70 research chairs that were established between 2005 and 2008. This process is still underway. A comprehensive report with reasons for not renewing some research chairs will be made available before the end of the 2017/18 financial year.

Reply:

(a)(b)(i) CURRENT AND NON-CURRENT ASSETS

ACCOUNT NAME	CURRENT ASSETS	NON-CURRENT ASSETS	TOTALS
Staff debts	143,584.32	62747.41	192,791.56
Claims recoverable: Households	973,964.05	82,606.61	1,056,570.66
Claims recoverable: Interdepartmental claims	9,693.22	-	9,693.22
Damaged vehicles	159,131.60	250,615.42	409,747.02
	1,286,373.19	395,969.44	1,682,342.63

(a)(b)(i)(bb)(aaa) UNLISTED INVESTMENT DIRECTLY HELD

NAME OF THE ENTITY	NET ASSET VALUE OF THE INVESTMENT
Biological Vaccine Institute (BIOVAC)	86,123,000.00

(a)(b)(ii) CURRENT AND NON- CURRENT ASSETS AS AT 31 MARCH 2017

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	R'000
Non-Current assets	794 654
Property Plant and Equipment	762 907
Interest in joint ventures and associates	20 216-
Interest in subsidiaries	5 436
Trade and other receivables	6 095
Current Assets	1 475 465
Trade and other payables	275 777
Cash and Cash Equivalents	1 099 124
Inventory and contracts in progress	100 564

Technology Innovation Agency	R'000
Non-current assets	50 234
Property and equipment	15 892
Loans and Receivables	5 029
Investments in associates	3 013
Other financial assets	26 300
Current assets
Trade and other receivables	3 417
Cash and cash equivalents	64 567
Prepayments	3 578

Academy of Science of South Africa	R'000
Non-current assets	526
Property and equipment	420
Intangible assets	106
Current assets	28 441
Other financial assets	7 886
Receivables from non-exchange transactions	118
Receivables from exchange transactions	1 776
Cash and cash equivalents	18 659

Human Sciences Research Council	R'000
Non-current assets	238 000
Property and equipment	234 459
Intangible assets	3 383
Pre-payments and advances	35
Operating lease receivables	123
Current assets	123 172
Cash and cash equivalents	61 307
Trade and other Receivables	43 727
Inventories	5 986
Pre payments and advances	6 373
Vat receivables	5 779

SANSA	R'000
Non-current assets	364 813
Property and equipment	344 714
Intangible assets	20 099
Current assets	172 021
Cash and cash equivalents	150 758
Receivables from exchange transactions	20800
Inventories	463

National Research foundation	R'000
Non-current assets	2 248 134
Property and equipment	2 148 038
Intangible assets	46 200
Heritage assets	15 479
Investments in associates	18 447
Employee benefit asset	3 701
Prepayments	16 269
Current assets	1 998 576
Inventories	7 080
Other financial assets	615 914
Grants paid in advance	409 205
Receivables from exchange transaction	471 602
Cash and cash equivalents	494 775

(aa)(aaa) LISTED ASSETS, DIRECTLY HELD

(aa)(bbb) LISTED ASSETS,INDIRECTLY HELD

(bb)(aaa) UNLISTED INVESTMENTS, DIRECTLY HELD

(bb)(bbb) UNLISTED INVESTMENT, INDIRECTLY HELD

Entity	(aa)(aaa)	(aa)(bbb)	(bb)(aaa)	(bb)(bbb)
CSIR	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
TIA	N/A	N/A	All TIA investment are directly held in unlisted entities	N/A
ASSAF	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
NRF	N/A	N/A	The NRF has an unlisted investment of R18,5 million at the SALT foundation (Pty) Ltd. The investment is directly held.	N/A
SANSA	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
HSRC	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

BREAKDOWN OF CURRENT ASSETS

CSIR	Total	0-3 months	3-6 months	6-12 months	More than 12 months
Trade and other receivables	234 202	193 303	19 254	17 009-	4 636
Fixed Deposit	844 394	-	-	-	844 394

TIA	Total	0-3 months	3-6 months	6-12 months	More than 12 months
Trade and other receivables	3 417	2 903	514	-	-
Cash and cash equivalents	64 567	44 556	20 011	-	-
Prepayments	3 578	1 533	2 045	-	-

ASSAF	Total	0-3 months	3-6 months	6-12 months	More than 12 months
Receivables from non-exchange transactions		7 363	7 524	7 886-	--
Receivables from exchange transactions		556	2 543	1 776
Cash and cash equivalents		10 467	13 518	18 659-	-

Reply:

Entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology:

Entity	Current Board/Council expiry date	(a) Opening of applications	(b) Closing of applications
HSRC	31/10/2017	31 March 2017	21 April 2017
NACI	31/07/2018	Not later than December 2017	Within 30 days after publication of the advert
SANSA	31/08/2018	Not later than January 2018
NRF	30/09/2018	Not later than February 2018
CSIR	31/12/2018	Not later than April 2018
SACNASP	30/04/2019	Not later than August 2018
ASSAF	31/10/2020	Not later than February 2020
TIA	30/04/2021	NOT later than August 2020

Comments:

There are no specific application dates of opening and closing for the board positions of entities and council reporting to the Minister. However, the reconstitution process to appoint the new Boards/Councils is initiated eight months prior to the expiry date of an individual Board/Council.

Reply:

(a) The preliminary investigation is still underway and there are no outcomes;

(b) A preliminary investigation to establish the veracity of the allegations made in a protected disclosure has been instituted by the Minister of Science and Technology and CSIR Board.

Reply:

(1) Has the Task Team completed its investigation?

No, the investigation has not been concluded.

(i) what are the main findings?

There are no findings yet.

(ii) Have the findings been communicated to the Cabinet?

No, the matter is still under investigation.

(2) Will the Minister table the findings in the National Assembly for the consideration of the Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology; if not, in each case, why not, if so on what dates in each case?

At the appropriate time the Minister will advise the Portfolio Committee.

I will determine the next steps once I have the findings

Reply:

Entity	(i)	(ii)	(iii)	(aa)(aaa)	(bbb)	(bb)(aaa)	(bbb)
DST	No	Yes	Yes	Advocate Nomonde January	Head Legal Services	Cleaning and vegetation with Eskom.	R5000 Payable every second or third month. The employee has resigned from the company
CSIR	No	Yes	No	Mr Happy Mathekga	Technician	He held an interest in Paps and Hi Trading and Projects (Pty) Ltd. The work was secured prior to permanent employment at the CSIR The company removed furniture for the CIPC. The work was secured through a competitive process	R12 900
				Ms R Phala	Project coordinator	She held an interest in Nakiwe Consulting (Pty) Ltd. the work was secured prior to permanent employment at the CSIR. The company supplied books to Tshwane University of Technology. The work was secured through a competitive process	R37 000
				Ms M Mqehlana,	Financial Admin Officer	She held an interest in Undivert (Pty) Ltd. The company provided a computer server and programming to iNkandla Local Municipality. The work was secured through a competitive process.	R249 820
Entity	(i)	(ii)	(iii)	(aa)(aaa)	(bbb)	(bb)(aaa)	(bbb)
NRF	No	No	No
HSRC	No	No	No
ASSAF	No	No	No
SANSA	No	No	No
TIA	No	No	No

Reply:

(a) Yes. The Minister of Science and Technology makes use of security services provided by the State.

(i) The Minister has four protectors allocated to her. Two of the protectors are based in Pretoria and the other two are based in Cape Town.

(ii) None of the Minister's immediate family members make use of the security services provided by the State.

(iii) None of the Minister's staff members makes use of the security services provided by the State.

(aa) As the Minister of Science and Technology, the Minister is entitled to make use of security services provided by the State and this is to ensure her protection.

(bb) The costs incurred for the security services provided to the Minister are borne by the South African Police Services.

(cc) None

(b) Yes. The Deputy Minister of Science and Technology makes use of security provided by the State.

(i) The Deputy Minister has four protectors allocated to her. Two of the protectors are based in Pretoria and the other two are based in Cape Town.

(ii) None of the Deputy Minister's immediate family members make use of security services provided by the State.

(iii) None of the Deputy Minister's staff members makes use of the security services provided by the State.

(aa) As the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology , the Deputy Minister is entitled to make use of security services provided by the State and this is to ensure her protection.

(bb) The cost incurred for the security services provided to the Deputy Minister are borne by the South African Police Services.

(cc) None.

 

(c) None of the heads of entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology make use of security services paid for the State.

(i) None.

(ii) None.

(iii) None.

(aa) None.

(bb) None.

(cc) None.

Reply:

(a) The Department of Science and Technology has appointed the following advisor in the period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016:

(i) UTHO Capital

(ii) Feasibility study for maintenance of the DST building and construction of the additional wing

(iii) R7 614 686.00

(iv) R2 997 000.00

(b) The entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology did not appoint transactional advisors for tenders in the period of 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016.

(i) None

(ii) None

(iii) None

(iv) Not applicable

Reply:

(1) Entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology

Entities	(a)	(b)	(i) (aa)	(i) (bb)	(ii) (a)	(ii) (bb)
Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF)	Yes	N/A	01/11/2016	31/10/2020	13	05
Human Science Research Council (HSRC)	Yes	N/A	01/11/2013	31/10/2017	09	06
National Research Foundation (NRF)	Yes	N/A	01/10/2014	30/09/2018	13	05
Entities	(a)	(b)	(i) (aa)	(i) (bb)	(ii) (a)	(ii) (bb)
Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)	Yes	N/A	01/05/2017	30/04/2021	10	04
South African Council For Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP)	Yes	N/A	01/05/2015	30/04/2019	21	10
South African National Space Agency (SANSA)	Yes	N/A	01/09/2014	31/08/2018	16	06
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)	Yes	N/A	01/01/2015	31/12/2018	10	05
National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI)	Yes	N/A	01/08/2014	31/07/2018	19	06

(2) Not applicable as all DST Entities have Boards in place.

Reply:

No, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has not yet considered approaching Sentech to enter into a partnership regarding Sentech's purchase of a satellite. However, the DST and the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services are in the process of developing a national Satellite Communication Strategy, which will provide guidance for the procurement of a communications satellite.

Reply:

1. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has a total budget of just over 7.5 billion for the 2017/18 financial year.

The Hydrogen and energy subprogramme, which is responsible for the implementation of the Energy Grand Challenge, will spend just over R156 million to fund applied energy research to support the development and uptake of clean energy technologies in South Africa and other parts of the world. The bulk of these funds support universities and science councils for research and development in the areas of hydrogen fuel cell, solar, wind and energy storage technologies. Hence, the percentage of the DST ‘s budget that is allocated towards renewable energy alternatives is just under 2%.

Reply:

(a) The Department of Science and Technology did not procure any services from or make any payments to –

(i) Bell Pottinger;

(ii) any other public relations firm.

(b) The entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology did not procure any services from or make any payments to –

(i) Bell Pottinger;

(ii) any other public relations firm.

(aa) not necessary

(bb) not applicable

(cc) not applicable

(dd) not applicable

(ee) not applicable

(ff) not applicable

Reply:

(a) The Department of Science and Technology:

a	(aa)	(bb)	(cc)	(dd)	(ee)	(ff)
(i)	(ii)
No	No	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

(b) The entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology:

b	(aa)	(bb)	(cc)	(dd)	(ee)	(ff)
(i)	(ii)
No	No	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Reply:

1. Whether there is any position of (a) chief executive officer, (b) chief financial officer and/or (c) chief operating officer that is currently vacant in each entity reporting to her; if so, (i) how long has each specified position been vacant and (ii) what is the reason for each vacancy;

Entity	Chief Executive Officer (CEO)	Chief Financial Officer (CFO)	Chief Operating Officer (COO)
	(a)	(i)	(ii)	(b)	(i)	(ii)	(c)	(i)	(ii)
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	No	N/A	N/A	No. However, the CFO tendered his resignation and his last day is 30 April 2017.	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A
Human Sciences Research Council	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	January 2017	Resignation	Yes	16 March 2017	Mutual termination of agreement

2. Have the vacancies been advertised; if so, (a) were interviews done and (b) on what date will the vacancies be filled;

Entity	(a)	(b)
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	Yes. The interviews are scheduled for 03 May 2017.	1 July 2017.
Human Sciences Research Council	Yes. The CFO position was advertised. However, interviews not yet done.	The date is not confirmed.
	No. The position of the Deputy CEO: Management Support is yet to be advertised.	The process is underway.

3. (a) what is the total number of persons who are currently employed in the specified positions in an acting capacity, (b) for what period has each person been acting in each position and (c) has any of the specified persons applied for the positions?

Entity	(a)	(b)	(c)
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	N/A	The Acting CFO will act until the new CFO is appointed and start on 1 July 2017.	N/A
Human Sciences Research Council	CFO: One Deputy CEO: Management Support: One	Acting CFO: since January 2017 Acting Deputy CEO: Management Support: since 16 March 2017.	Acting CFO: No Acting Deputy CEO: not yet advertised.

Reply:

Entities/Department	(1)	(2)
	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)
			(i)	(ii)	(aa)	(bb)	(i)	(ii)	(aa)	(bb)
Department of Science and Technology (DST)	The DST did not participate in the Dialogue with the President: Unpacking of the SONA 2017 on Radical Economic Transformation Implementation	N/A	The DST did not participate in the auction of souvenirs	The DST did not participate in the auction of personal belongings of the President of the Republic, Mr Jacob G Zuma	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF)	N/A	ASSAF did not participate in the Dialogue with the President: Unpacking of the SONA 2017 on Radical Economic Transformation Implementation	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	ASSAF did not participate in the auction of souvenirs	ASSAF did not participate in the auction of personal belongings of the President of the Republic, Mr Jacob G Zuma	N/A	N/A

 

Entities/Department	(1)			(2)
	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)
			(i)	(ii)	(aa)	(bb)	(i)	(ii)	(aa)	(bb)
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)	N/A	The CSIR did not participate in the Dialogue with the President: Unpacking of the SONA 2017 on Radical Economic Transformation Implementation	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	The CSIR did not participate in the auction of souvenirs	The CSIR did not participate in the auction of personal belongings of the President of the Republic, Mr Jacob G Zuma	N/A	N/A
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)	N/A	HSRC did not participate in the Dialogue with the President: Unpacking of the SONA 2017 on Radical Economic Transformation Implementation	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	HSRC did not participate in the auction of souvenirs	HSRC did not participate in the auction of personal belongings of the President of the Republic, Mr Jacob G Zuma	N/A	N/A
Nation Research Foundation (NRF)	N/A	NRF did not participate in the Dialogue with the President: Unpacking of	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	NRF did not participate in the auction of souvenirs	NRF did not participate in the auction of personal	N/A	N/A
Entities/Department	(1)	(2)
	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)
			(i)	(ii)	(aa)	(bb)	(i)	(ii)	(aa)	(bb)
		the SONA 2017 on Radical Economic Transformation Implementation						belongings of the President of the Republic, Mr Jacob G Zuma
South African National Space Agency (SANSA)	N/A	SANSA did not participate in the Dialogue with the President: Unpacking of the SONA 2017 on Radical Economic Transformation Implementation	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	SANSA did not participate in the auction of souvenirs	SANSA did not participate in the auction of personal belongings of the President of the Republic, Mr Jacob G Zuma	N/A	N/A
Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)	N/A	TIA did not participate in the Dialogue with the President: Unpacking of the SONA 2017 on Radical Economic Transformation Implementation	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	TIA did not participate in the auction of souvenirs	TIA did not participate in the auction of personal belongings of the President of the Republic, Mr Jacob G Zuma	N/A	N/A

Reply:

Reply to Question

(a) The construction of the science centre in Cofimvaba is scheduled to be completed by 31 March 2018

(b) The delay in the construction of the science centre in Cofimvaba was due to compliance requirements with the National Environmental Management Act (107/1988): Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014 and National Water Act 36 of 1998.

The science centre exhibition to be established is intended to include both indoor and outdoor displays. The outdoor display was planned to encompass development of an artificial wetland to advance life and earth sciences. In June 2016, the DST in pursuit of this idea sought technical assistance towards the development of artificial wetland from the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). DEA runs the "Working for wetlands" programme that seeks to rehabilitate and protect wetlands in country.

Upon surveying the project site, DEA's experts discovered an existing wetland surrounding almost the entire area demarcated for the erection of the building. The discovered wetland was not readily visible and hence it was not picked up during the pre-building site appraisal. This being the situation, there is an obligation to comply with legislation relevant to the construction of a building on this kind of land. Compliance issues that led to the delay in the construction of the building included the following:

• Permission had to be sought from DEA regarding the conditions under which the construction of the science centre could proceed. DEA granted permission for the construction to go ahead in December 2016.

• The site plan had to be revised and resubmitted to the Municipal Planning Tribunal in order to comply with the minimum distance that has to be maintained between the building and a water course. The approval was secured in February 2017.

• Work towards compliance with National Water Act in progress and technical expert are compiling information necessary for the final submission to Department Water and Sanitation.

Reply:

(1) Attached at Tag A is a comprehensive report on the international agreements within the past 10 financial years in categories of aid agencies, bilateral partner countries and entities, multilateral and international private sector.

(2) In summary the report reflects as follows:
 

International partner	Past 10 years	Since 1 April 2016
Aid agencies	11 agreements signed	4 agreements signed
Bilateral partner countries and entities	38 agreements signed	1 agreement signed
Multilateral entities	8 agreements signed	No agreements signed
International private sector	4 agreements signed	No agreements signed

Find here: Tag A: International Agreement Signed by the Department of Science and Technology

Reply:

a) No, Mr Mzwanele Manyi did not respond to any bids advertised by the department.

b) No, the Progressive professionals Forum did not respond to any bids advertised by the department

c) No, the Decolonisation Fund did not respond to any bids advertised by the department

d) No Black Business Council did not respond to any bids advertised by the department.

1. Not applicable
2. Not applicable
3. Not applicable
4. Not applicable
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable

Reply:

(i)  In the period under review the following vehicles were purchased for use by the Minister of Science of Science and Technology:

(aaa) 2014 – 15 Financial year for Pretoria Office:

1. Audi Q7 3.0 TDI 180 kw Q TIP;
2. 2015
3. R697,733.58 and
4. 23 July 2015 (invoice date)

(bbb) 2015 – 16 financial year for Cape Town Office:

1. Audi Q7 3.0 TDI quarto;
2. 2016
3. R798,020.53 and
4. 29 March 2016 (invoice date)

(bb) Since 1 April 2016

1. No cars were purchased.
2. Not applicable
3. Not applicable
4. Not applicable

(ii)  In the period under review , no vehicles were purchased for use by the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology.

Reply:

(a) No internal forensic reports

(b) External forensic reports – 2

(i) Pertaining to the Department of Science and Technology (aa) Forensic investigation into the Nkowankowa Demonstration Centre. (bb) Forensic investigation into various allegations regarding irregularities pertaining to the Nkowankowa Demonstration Centre, which was a Department of Science and Technology led community project. The period under investigation was from 01 December 2013 to 31August2015. (cc) The forensic investigation was concluded on 22 June 2016

Find here: http://pmg-assets.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/RNW2309entity.pdf

 

 

 

 

Reply:

(a) The forensic investigation into alleged maladministration at the Nkowankowa Demonstration Centre (NDC) has been finalised. The investigation confirmed that there was gross financial maladministration of NDC affairs as well as other forms of unethical conduct.

(b) Given the serious findings of the investigation, the Departmental terminated its relationship with the project manager.

 

Reply:

1. A number of impact assessment studies have been conducted on the SKA site since 2006. The first Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study which focused on a 5km radius around the proposed KAT 7 radio telescope site was conducted in 2006 and a Record of Decision (RoD) was issued in October 2007. The second EIA study was undertaken in 2008, after the acquisition of the Meys Dam and Losberg Farms, which constitute the core site of the MeerKAT radio telescope. This study was undertaken to assess the impact of the MeerKAT. A RoD for this study was issued in July 2009. A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) study is currently underway for phase 1 of the SKA project which is expected to begin in 2018.
2. The first EIA study was completed in 2007, the second study was completed in 2009. Both studies were conducted by Strategic Environmental Focus (SEF), an environmental consultancy company. The third study is the SEA which is currently underway, and it is being conducted by the CSIR.
3. Yes, the studies referred to are available for the residents of the SKA region to read. A copy is available at the public library in Carnarvon and another one is available at the SKA site.

Reply:

1. The NRF submitted the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Multi-Wavelength Astronomy to the DST in November 2015 and it was approved by the DST Executive Committee in March 2016. The Implementation Plan outlines the proposed programmatic focus and consequent financial implications for astronomy initiatives in South Africa, and it was approved as a framework within which various astronomy-related interventions, projects and programmes could be initiated, subject to the availability of funds.

The roll-out of the Plan will be jointly considered on an ongoing basis between the NRF and the DST, taking into account the available financial allocations and the level of support for astronomy within the overall DST and NRF portfolio.

(2) The Implementation Plan of the National Strategy for Multi-Wavelength Astronomy prioritises an increase in the parliamentary grant of the SAAO as the most important need for astronomy outside the MeerKAT/SKA budget. However due to the current economic conditions there has not been an increase in the current baseline allocation to the SAAO. A budget of R40 million has been allocated over the next three years from the DST Infrastructure budget, commencing from the 2016/17 financial year, for IT and infrastructure refurbishments, upgrades and new acquisitions. Although this funding will somewhat alleviate the facility’s current funding constraints and see to some basic needs of upkeep, it does not address the need for additional funding for operations and other programmes in the observatory. In this context the student programme at SAAO remains discontinued until it is feasible to increase the allocation to the SAAO for this purpose.

Reply:

1. A preliminary investigation to establish the veracity of the allegations made in the protected disclosure has been instituted by the Minister of Science and Technology and the CSIR Board.

(a) A preliminary investigation is still underway and the Minister is unable to ascertain the date within which the investigation will be concluded.

(b) The General Council of the Bar of South Africa has been briefed to conduct the preliminary investigation into the allegations made in the protected disclosure.

2. The Minister will advise Cabinet on the outcome of the preliminary investigation.

3. The CSIR Board as the Accounting Authority of the CSIR was advised of the protected disclosure.

Reply:

(a) The Department of Science and Technology spentthe following on advertising (aaa) in the 2015/16 financial year, and (bbb) since 1 April 2016:

(i) Africa News Network 7 channel

(aaa)	(bbb)
R369 344,00	R613 670,40

(ii)(aa) South African Broadcasting Corporation television channels

(aaa)	(bbb)
R1 798 668, 01	R400 088,00

(ii)(bb) South African Broadcasting Corporation radiostations

(aaa)	(bbb)
R1 884 310,00	R410 000,00

(iii) National commercial radio stations

(aaa)	(bbb)
R878 692,88	R273 200,00

(iv)(aa) Community television

(aaa)	(bbb)
R1 368 000,00	Nil

(iv)(bb) Community radio stations

(aaa)	(bbb)
R238 790,00	Nil

(b) The entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology spent the following on advertising:

(i) Africa News Network 7 channel

Entity	(aaa)	(bbb)
Academy of Science of South Africa	Nil	Nil
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	Nil	Nil
Human Sciences Research Council	Nil	Nil
National Research Foundation	Nil	Nil
South African National Space Agency	Nil	Nil
Technology Innovation Agency	Nil	Nil

(ii)(aa) South African Broadcasting Corporation television channels

Entity	(aaa)	(bbb)
Academy of Science of South Africa	Nil	Nil
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	R2 677 725,00	Nil
Human Sciences Research Council	R7 296,00	Nil
National Research Foundation	Nil	Nil
South African National Space Agency	Nil	Nil
Technology Innovation Agency	Nil	Nil

(ii)(bb) South African Broadcasting Corporation radiostations

Entity	(aaa)	(bbb)
Academy of Science of South Africa	Nil	Nil
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	R450 000,00	Nil
Human Sciences Research Council	Nil	Nil
National Research Foundation	R200 000,00	Nil
South African National Space Agency	Nil	Nil
Technology Innovation Agency	Nil	Nil

(iii) National commercial radio stations

Entity	(aaa)	(bbb)
Academy of Science of South Africa	Nil	Nil
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	Nil	Nil
Human Sciences Research Council	Nil	Nil
National Research Foundation	Nil	Nil
South African National Space Agency	Nil	Nil
Technology Innovation Agency	Nil	Nil

(iv)(aa) Community television

Entity	(aaa)	(bbb)
Academy of Science of South Africa	Nil	Nil
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	Nil	Nil
Human Sciences Research Council	Nil	Nil
National Research Foundation	Nil	Nil
South African National Space Agency	Nil	Nil
Technology Innovation Agency	Nil	Nil

(iv)(bb) Community radio stations

Entity	(aaa)	(bbb)
Academy of Science of South Africa	Nil	Nil
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	R256 000,00	R110 000,00
Human Sciences Research Council	Nil	Nil
National Research Foundation	Nil	R14 711,80
South African National Space Agency	R12 030,00	R25 720,00
Technology Innovation Agency	Nil	Nil

Reply:

(a) The Minister established a task team to determine the facts of the matter and the most appropriate course of action.

1. The Task Team is still determining the facts of the matter and the most appropriate course of action.
2. There are currently no findings as the Task Team is still verifying the veracity of the allegations made.
3. The Minister will advise Cabinet on the outcome of the assessment conducted by the Task Team.
4. The date cannot be ascertained at this stage as the assessment is still ongoing.

9/1/4/5/2/A/2

THE MINISTER

QUESTION 1890 FOR WRITTEN REPLY: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: DR A LOTRIET (DA): SALE OF TIA’S SHAREHOLDING IN KAPA BIOSYSTEMS TO AMERICAN SHAREHOLDERS

INTRODUCTION

1. The above-mentioned question appears on the Internal Question Paper No. 28 dated 16 September 2016 for written reply in the National Assembly.

2. A draft reply to the question is enclosed in Pocket 2 for the Minister’s consideration.

Recommendations

3. It is recommended that the Minister approves the draft reply enclosed in Pocket 2 if the Minister concurs with its contents.

DIRECTOR-GENERAL

DATE:

QUESTION 1890 FOR WRITTEN REPLY: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: DR A LOTRIET (DA): SALE OF TIA’S SHAREHOLDING IN KAPA BIOSYSTEMS TO AMERICAN SHAREHOLDERS

DECISION

Reply approved/not approved.

Further discussion required/not required.

Proposed date for discussion:

MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DATE:

9/1/4/5/2/A/2

THE DEPUTY MINISTER

QUESTION 1890 FOR WRITTEN REPLY: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: DR A LOTRIET (DA): SALE OF TIA’S SHAREHOLDING IN KAPA BIOSYSTEMS TO AMERICAN SHAREHOLDERS

Enclosed in Pocket 1, please find a copy of a submission to the Minister for your information.

DIRECTOR-GENERAL

DATE:

DECISION

Contents noted.

Further discussion required/not required.

Proposed date for discussion: ………………………………………….

DEPUTY MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DATE:

ROUTE FORM

SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PROGRAMME

2

FILE NO.

9/1/4/5/2/A/2

SUBJECT

QUESTION 1890 FOR WRITTEN REPLY: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: DR A LOTRIET (DA): SALE OF TIA’S SHAREHOLDING IN KAPA BIOSYSTEMS TO AMERICAN SHAREHOLDERS

ABBREVIATED DESIGNATION SURNAME AND INITIALS

ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE

COMMENTS

B Durham CD: Bio

M Muofhe DDG: TI

Reply:

(a)(i) The Chief Financial Officer position is permanently filled. The employee has the following qualifications:

• Bachelor of Commerce.
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

(a)(ii) Not applicable. The position is permanently filled.

(b)(i) The Director-General position is permanently filled. The employee has the following qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science Degree.
• Bachelor of Science Honours Degree.
• Master of Science Degree.
• Doctor of Philosophy.

(b)(ii) Not applicable. The position is permanently filled.

Reply:

1. The Head of Department (HOD) of Science and Technology has signed a performance agreement annually since his appointment in 1 April 2006.

2. The HOD has consistently signed a performance agreement since his appointment.

3. The HOD received a performance bonus at a percentage rate approved by Public Service Commission in line with his performance assessment result of above average performance.

Reply:

(a) In the 2015/16 financial year –

(i) the Department of Science and Technology spent R5 902 582 on advertising; and

(ii) the entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology spent the following on advertising:

Entity	Amount (R)
Academy of Science of South Africa	Nil
Human Sciences Research Council	202 776,56
National Research Foundation	3 053 648,00
South African National Space Agency	1 649 695,00
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	7 350 000,00
Technology Innovation Agency	410 286,26

(b) For the 2016/17 financial year –

(i) the Department of Science and Technology has budgeted R6 500 000,00 for advertising;

(ii) the entities reporting to the Minister of Science and Technology have budgeted the following for advertising:

Entity	Amount (R)
Academy of Science of South Africa	Nil
Human Sciences Research Council	230 000,00
National Research Foundation	1 833 839,00
South African National Space Agency	1 924 756,00
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	6 360 000,00
Technology Innovation Agency	464 998,06

Reply:

(1) a The Department of Science and Technology has not been approached by any political party for any form of funding.

(i) Nil

(ii) Nil

(iii) Nil

(b) N/A

(2) a The Department of Science and Technology has nt provided any form of funding to any political party.

(i) Nil

(ii) Nil

(iii) Nil

(b) N/A

Reply:

1. (a) The Department of Science and Technology (DST) prefers to utilise the entities in the innovation and science system to execute specific interventions. In this instance the DST does not have its own development programme for SMMEs:

(i) No

(ii) No

(aa)

(bb)

(cc)

1. (b) Entities responses are provided in the table below:

Entity	(i)	(ii)	(aa)	(bb)	(cc)
Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)	No	No	The running of development programmes does not fall within the mandate of ASSAf.	N/A	N/A
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)	No	No	The running of development programmes does not fall within the mandate of HSRC.	N/A	N/A
National Research Foundation (NRF)	Yes	No	Square Kilometre Array (SKA) South Africa, a business unit of the NRF and NMC Civils have partnered with Absa in an Enterprise and Supply chain Development (ESD) initiative to develop small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Northern Cape. This programme will enable qualifying SMEs to obtain funding from Absa so that they can provide services and goods to NMC Civils in the 80km road project.	Approximately R34,5 million	There are potentially 34 Companies in Northern Cape to benefit from this initiative assuming they meet the criteria.
South African National Space Agency (SANSA)	Yes	No	The satellite development programme that is currently being pursued by SANSA, under the support of the Department of Science and Technology, has an industry development and localisation initiative in it. As part of the satellite development programme all contracts established include an element of industry development and localization. To this end, there are four small businesses currently being sub-contracted as part of the broader satellite development programme.	To date the satellite programme has invested R 5 944 687 with the said four small businesses.	Small businesses account for indirect jobs. 46 direct technical jobs and 7 support staff at Denel Spaceteq. Skills development for 7 students with a target of over 20 students by the end of the programme.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research	See Annexure A
Technology Innovation Agency

 

Annexure A

COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL AND RESEACH (CSIR)

1. (b)(i) Yes

(ii) No

Development Programme 1

(aa) The Bio-manufacturing Industry Development Centre (BIDC). The BIDC supports SMMEs through the prototyping and scale-up phases of product development, assists them to do market acceptance testing and to launch products in the market. The companies remain the sole owners of their innovations and retain absolute control over their future in terms of value add and partnerships. The BIDC helps to lower the cost and barriers that inhibit innovative enterprises from translating their inventions into market-ready products.

The BIDC’s support for SMMEs is through the development of bio-based manufacturing processes and products. Enterprises that are incubated at the BIDC have access to ready-to-use bio-manufacturing facilities, support in research and development laboratories as well as access to experts in the fields of agro-processing and bio-processing product development and scale-up.

Currently the BIDC is supporting 19 enterprises of which 16 are owned by black entrepreneurs, including 10 black women-owned enterprises. To date, 33 products with applications in the cosmetics, nutrition and biotechnology industries have been developed and transferred to the enterprises. The programme has resulted in 105 permanent jobs being created, the majority of which are within the enterprises and their value chains, while an additional 165 temporary jobs have also been created. At least 54 interns have received training in the BIDC vocational learning programme in order to provide the bio-manufacturing sector with a skilled workforce.

(bb) R12, 5 million.

(cc) 75 permanent jobs and six interns.

Development Programme 2

(aa) Ultrasonic Broken Rail Detector (UBRD) System. The UBRD system was co-developed by CSIR and Armscor's Institute for Maritime Technology using public funds from CSIR, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) and DST. This world-first technology system helps prevent derailment of heavy freight trains by detecting broken railway lines in real-time and alerting the TFR control centre. The system currently protects 860 km of the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore export line and is installed on critical sections (bridges & tunnels) of the coal export line. The system will soon be licensed to a South African company for local manufacturing and international business development.

(bb) R1.75 million.

(cc) Approximately 40 to 70 jobs are projected to be created. The number of jobs created will depend on the success of international sales and could be in high technology manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution.

Development Programme 3

(aa) Umbiflow. Umbiflow is a medical ultrasound system that operates off a standard computer, and conducts an assessment of the blood flow between mother and child whilst in the womb. It uses this information to assess if the fetus is likely to be receiving insufficient nutrition for growth and allows medical staff to intervene. The intention is to reduce the high still birth rate experienced in developing nations and, by permitting the measurement to be done at clinic level, to reduce unnecessary referral of mothers to higher levels of care. The system is currently in a clinical trial in Gauteng, Tshwane district and will be licensed to an SMME in the medical sector during 2016-17.

(bb) R7 million.

(cc) approximately five to eight permanent jobs are projected to be created.

Development Programme 4

(aa) Micro-Enterprise Media Engine (MEME) Platform. This is an ultra-low cost scalable mobile Internet Television platform that enables media production SMMEs to own the means of global (export) distribution while retaining the Intellectual Property rights to their content. The platform was developed at the CSIR. It is globally competitive in its ability to distribute live television with integrated social media interaction to even the remotest rural areas of emerging economies on mobile devices without any break-up of the stream (no video buffering). The technique is patented in China, Russia, Nigeria, East and Southern Africa, USA and UK. The intention is create the opportunity to build a new emerging economy-to-emerging economy (E2E) mobile television industry that will draw the media talent of South African youth exiting film schools into a growing local media SMME space by widening the audience reach and negating the cost of traditional television broadcasting infrastructure requirements (satellite, etc.). It is currently licensed to five SMMEs to pilot for one (1) year before it will be opened to the entire South African media industry in 2017. It is further being integrated into the curriculum of a local film school.

(bb) R11.1 million. (EU-General Budget Support).

(cc) Four film school students, four full-time media employees, seven full-time technology employees plus approximately 25 jobs/workers across the five pilot SMMEs, during the pilot period.

Development Programme 5

(aa) Establishment of a cashmere fibre industry in the Eastern Cape (EC). The CSIR has developed a cashmere processing know-how to produce yarns and would like to commercialize the results of their research. The venture involves training farmers on how to harvest cashmere fibre, and the establishment of a production facility that will process the harvested cashmere fibre in readiness for manufacture of garments. With the assistance of the Jobs Fund funding, the initial objective of the project was to establish a cashmere fibre industry in the country, in particular the Eastern Cape. The key objectives of the project, as supported by the Jobs Fund include:

• To empower traditional goat farmers by generating income from under coat down fibre that grows on traditional goats during winter;
• Train the goat owners on how to harvest the cashmere fibre;
• Establish the production facilities (cleaning and processing of cashmere fibre), thus creating permanent jobs;
• Establish a market for the cashmere fibre; and
• Establishment of the foundation for full economic beneficiation of indigenous goats found in the province.

(bb) R7 million was allocated from October 2013 until March 2016. R400 000.00 allocated for the 2016-17 financial year.

(cc) Four jobs are projected.

Development Programme 6

(aa) Enterprise Creation for Development (ECD). A CSIR implementation business area with a development mandate, which assists both the public and private sectors to implement enterprise development activities. These activities include opportunity identification, opportunity assessment and packaging, enterprise support programmes, and capacity building for local economic development (LED). Industry sectors targeted include manufacturing, agro-processing, green economy, ICT and built environment. ECD focuses on the application of technology to address underdevelopment. In the previous year, ECD was involved in the development and support of 10 pilot projects and 12 enterprises.

• Feasibility studies for four incubator programmes were undertaken.
• ECD was involved in conducting feasibility studies and developing business plans for 2 industrial parks, eight (8) agri-parks, and one (1) agro-processing hub. In addition, the business area was involved in the establishment of a Business Processing Outsourcing Park.
• In terms of technology transfer, 21 mature technologies and four (4) new technologies were transferred.

(bb) ECD activities are funded by national, provincial and local government, international agencies, private corporate social investment initiatives, and foundations, on a project-by-project basis.

(cc) The number of jobs that will be created or retained by enterprises as a result of the CSIR’s intervention during the 2016-17, is unknown at this stage.

Development Programme 7

(aa) Technology Localisation Programme (TLP) (implemented by the Technology Localisation Implementation Unit {TLIU}). The TLP is aimed at increasing South Africa’s domestic productive capacity. The programme provides funding and technology support to enable more local firms to supply goods to state-owned entities (SOEs). The support assists individual firms and targeted sectors to get access to technology resulting in increased capability, competitiveness and new processes or products.

(bb) R105 million invested since 2011.

(cc) the impact of the programme since its inception is as follows:

• 147 firms have benefited from the Technology Assistance Packages (TAPs) with 20 of them landing contracts to the value of R162m.
• 250 students have benefited from internship opportunities offered through this programme with 45% getting permanent jobs.
• TAPs resulted in the local production of twenty items which were previously imported.
• 187 jobs were created due to the implementation of Technology Assistance Packages (TAPs).

Development Programme 8

(aa) The Photonics Prototyping Facility (PPF). The Photonics Prototyping Facility (PPF), hosted at the CSIR National Laser Centre, provides the necessary infrastructure, skills and networks needed to facilitate the development of prototypes that are well-aligned to market-needs for the realisation of Photonics-based products and devices. It will also develop expertise (amongst PPF staff, students and interns) in the area of prototyping, product development and stakeholder engagement. Ultimately this will lead to new Photonics products that will be used to improve the competitiveness of the existing industry and for new and emerging industries to be formed resulting in job creation.

(bb) To-date the following funds have been secured:

R 11.4 million (DST- High End Infrastructure (HEI))

R 9 million (DST- Industrial Innovation Partnership Fund (IIPF))

R 13.4 million (CSIR)

(cc) One permanent, full-time position for an operations manager and approximately four positions for interns. As the programme gains traction, additional jobs will be created by interns being placed in industry, employment of new interns and the creation of new jobs in existing industries or SMMEs via new product offerings.

Development Programme 9

(aa) Defence Transformative Enterprise Development (DEFTED) Programme. The Department of Defence (DOD) runs the DEFTED programme through the CSIR. The aim of the project is to address the defence industry transformation challenges through the development of black industrialists in the defence industry. The DEFTED program will support the defence sector black industrialists and entrepreneurs with technical Human Capital Development (HCD), Technology Development (TD) and Enterprise Development (ED).

(bb) R50.4 million has been budgeted for the 2016-17 financial year.

(cc) 30 jobs.

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AGENCY (TIA)

1. (b)(i) Yes.

(ii) No.

Development Programme 1

(aa) AgriViro (Pty) Ltd. Development of novel biological control technologies for the control of pests in economically important horticultural crops.

(bb) R1, 175,729.00

(cc) five.

Development Programme 2

(aa) NemaBio (Pty) Ltd. Development of entomophathogenic nematodes as biological control agents for the control of pest in horticultural crops.

(bb) R86,5429.00

(cc) one.

Development Programme 3

(aa) Beonics (Pty) Ltd. Development of poultry feed additive and nutraceutical as an antibiotic replacement alternative from honry propolis

(bb) R 4,620,000.00

(cc) 0 - Project at a technology development stage.

Development Programme 4

(aa) Enzyme Technologies (Pty) Ltd. Enzyme technologies is implementing a project to extract bromelain enzyme from waste pineapple stumps, for animal health pharmaceutical application. It is in our Bio-pharmaceutical & pharmaceutical focus area/ programme

(bb) R 2,887,560.00

(cc) 0 - Project at a technology development stage.

Development Programme 5

(aa) GR Active. TIA funds the University of Pretoria to develop an extraction process for a bioactive that will be produced from a plant that is indigenous to South Africa. The bioactive will be produced in a manufacturing facility that will be established in Mamelodi, Tshwane. It is anticipated that a Cooperative will be established by the Mamelodi based Mothong Trust, which will be responsible for production. Mothong Trust is part of the GR Active consortium. The project is in the Complementary Medicine & IKS Focus Area/ programme. IKS stands for Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

(bb) R 6,935,515.00

(cc) one.

Development Programme 6

(aa) BioDx (Pty) Ltd. BioDx (Pty) Ltd has developed a process for production of an environmentally sustainable biocide for industrial as well as cosmetics application. The project is at commercialization stage and is focussed on demonstrating the technology at client facilities for potential uptake. It is in the complementary medicine & IKS focus area/ programme.

(bb) R 1,269,896.00

(cc) seven.

 

Development Programme 7

(aa) CPT Pharma (Pty) Ltd. CPT Pharma (Pty) Ltd is currently establishing a pilot plant for development and improvement of generic processes for 4 active pharmaceutical ingredients for human health and animal health applications. It is in Bio-Pharmaceuticals & Pharmaceuticals focus area/ programme.

(bb) R 1,086,000.00

(cc) one.

Development Programme 8

(aa) Afriplex (Pty) Ltd. Afriplex is developing a complementary medicine for the treatment of prostate cancer. The complementary medicine is extracted from a plant that is indigenous to South Africa and has been used for generations by local communities. The project is in the Complementary Medicine & IKS focus area/ programme.

(bb) R 2,455,393.00

(cc) 0 - Project at a technology development stage.

Development Programme 9

(aa) Altis Biologics (Pty) Ltd. Altis is developing a product that is extracted from porcine bone for the treatment of bone fractures. Although the active ingredient is a biological product, the product is classified as a medical device due to delivery mechanism. The project is therefore in the Medical Devices & Diagnostics focus area/ programme. The project is in the Complementary Medicine & IKS focus area/ programme.

(bb) R 2,455,393.00

(cc) 0 - Project at a technology development stage.

Development Programme 10

(aa) Settec. System for monitoring early settling of solids in slurry pipes.

(bb) R 316,178.75

(cc) one.

Development Programme 11

(aa) Green Iron Technology. Processing of waste iron ore for application in steel industry.

(bb) R 900,000.00

(cc) Four.

Development Programme 12

(aa) Zargun. Zargun Separation of Zirconium isotopes for the nuclear sector.

(bb) R 6,301,739.00

(cc) Three.

Development Programme 13

(aa) CMTI Consulting. Development of ultra low bed mining equipment.

(bb) R 5,989,734.33

(cc) Four.

Development Programme 14

(aa) Arc Aqua. Development of the core technology improvement of the software for remote reporting, high voltage power supply system, turbine generator and development of additional applications to the core technology, industrial overhead, end of hose and integrated unit.

(bb) R 2,900,000.00

(cc) 0 - Project at a technology development stage.

Development Programme 15

(aa) Rubber Nano. To develop a production ready "ZR6" additive for use in the OEM tyre manufacturing industry.

(bb) R 660,000.00

(cc) 0 - Project at a technology development stage.

Development Programme 16

(aa) Fibrelux. Fibrelux is a wool diameter measuring device for the wool farming industry.

(bb) R 560,000.00

(cc) 10.

Development Programme 17

(aa) Welcore. Weldcore is a novel sampling technique developed by NMMU. This technique allows for the removal of representative core sample in situ from safety critical structures as well as repair of the weld site using an innovative welding technique FTSW.

(bb) R 11,000,000.00

(cc) 10.

Development Programme 18

(aa) mLab Mobile Apps Support. The programme has been developed to stimulate the emergence of mobile apps based innovation business. Often these businesses that are created by young people with tertiary education qualifications but are not in employment, education or training systems. It is a feeder platform for significant innovation projects that can be funded through the TIA technology development fund.

(bb) R 2,500,000.00

(cc) 30.

Development Programme 19

(aa) Balancell (Pty) Ltd. Balancell is a technology business specialising in battery management electronics for medium to large scale batteries of all chemistries. Its battery management systems provide insight into the stored energy of a battery pack and improve its reliability and efficiency.

(bb) R 2,000,000.00

(cc) 0 - Project at a technology development stage.

Development Programme 20

(aa) Impact Free Water (Pty) Ltd. The project use Wave Energy Reverse Osmosis technology for desalination of seawater to produce bottled drinking water and electricity.

(bb) R 500,000.00

(cc) 0 - Project at a technology development stage.

Development Programme 21

(aa) DST has established the Technology Station Programme (TSP) aiming at offering technology based support to SMME. The programme is managed by TIA and hosted by Universities of technologies. The technology Stations provide access to specialist knowledge and equipment. There are currently 18 stations with national footprint and are sector focused as follows:

Manufacturing Cluster

• TUT: Electronics & Electrical Engineering, including ICT
• VUT: Product Prototyping, materials, processing technologies
• NMMU: Mechanical System Technologies & Automotive components;
• DUT: Fibrous Reinforced & Molded Plastics
• CUT: Rapid Prototyping & Product Development
• CPUT: Adaptronics
• UJ: Light Metals Casting & Foundry technology
• TUT: TDM (IAT) Transfer, Training & Adv Manufacturing
• SUN: TDM (IAT) design, analysis & Adv Manufacturing
• WSU (IAT): Design, Tooling, Dies, Mould making

Agro-Processing, Chemical, Other Cluster

• CPUT: Agro Food Processing
• UL: Agrifood Processing
• TUT: Chemistry & Chemical engineering
• NMMU: Petrochemicals, Bio-downstream chemicals
• MUT: Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
• UJ: Process, Energy, Environments
• VUT: Panel-beating, spray-painting
• CPUT: Clothing and Textile Technologies

(bb) In the financial year 2016/17

• TIA budget allocation R34,511 million
• Additional grant from DST R37,739 million
• Additional grant from DST to scale up the TSP R33 million

(cc) The impact of the programme for the financial year 2015/16 is as follows:

• A total of 103 interns participated in the interns Programme
• A total of 10 interns have received employment
• 2154 SMMEs received technology based support from the programme
• 27 knowledge innovation products supported through the stations support activities, and 58 product/prototype developed
• 20 full functional prototypes completed and 33 youth funded projects currently at various TS for support with products designs, CAD/CAM and quality improvements

Reply:

(a) and (b) No

(i) (aa) No

(bb) No

(cc) No

(ii) (aa) No

(bb) No

(aaa) Not applicable.

(bbb) (aaaa) Not applicable.

(bbbb) Not applicable.

(ccc) Not applicable.

Reply:

(1). No

(a) Not applicable

(b) Not applicable

(c) Not applicable

(d) Not applicable

(2)

(a) No

(b)No

(c) No

Reply:

1. The status of ASSAf has not yet been clarified. The matter is currently being dealt with by the Academy, Department of Science and Technology (DST) and National Treasury.
2. The required supply chain management policies and procedures have been put in place by the ASSAf management;

         (a) N/A.

         (b) The required supply chain management (SCM) policies and procedures have been revised in order to ensure compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and have been put in place by the ASSAf management. Furthermore, a dedicated SCM Administrator has been appointed.

Reply:

(a)(i) The Department procured 40.38% of goods and services from SMMEs, township and rural enterprises combined for the period 1 April 2015 to 31 January 2016.

(a)(i) The Department did not procure any goods or services from co operatives for the period 1 April 2015 to 31 January 2016.

Reply:

a) Yes, the Office of the Minister received a letter from MrGreville Wood dated 5 January 2016. The letter requests the Minister to start a debate in government on "developing an engineered rollout plan that poverty cannot treat with contempt that could address unemploymentcountrywide, as the 1984 and 2011 proofs demonstrated”.

b) In addition, Mr Greville Wood sent a letter to the Director-General of the DST requesting financial support for 3 projects. A formal response was sent to MrGreville Wood on 15 December 2015 indicating that the funding support requested does not fall within the mandate and funding priorities of the DST. A formal response was also sent on 3 March 2016 to the letter received by the Minister. In the letter, the Minister highlighted that the DST is playing a role in encouraging the use of innovative building technologies. We do not fund projects such as requested by Mr Woods.

Further relevant details:

bb) In his letter dated 5 January 2016 addressed to the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Wood acknowledged previous DST funding of an innovative building technology proof of concept project. The DST had appointed its entity; the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Built Environment unit to work with MrWood and the project was completed on 31 October 2012. The project close out report was submitted by the CSIR to the DST and based on this report; the CSIR highlighted the need for GWD to secure Agrément SA approval. Agrément SA is responsible for innovative construction product assessment and certification in South Africa.

Reply:

(a) The Minister has a signed performance agreement translated from the Medium Term Strategic Framework for a 5 year period. 

(a) (a) Outcome 4: Decent employment through inclusive growth.

Suboutcome 10: Investment in research, development and innovation supports inclusive growth by enhancing productivity of existing and emerging enterprises and improving the living conditions of the poor.

Outcome 5: A skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path.

Suboutcome 3: Increase access to high level occupationally directed programmes in needed areas.

Outcome 6: An efficient, competitive and responsive economic infrastructure network

Suboutcome 5: Expansion, modernisation, access and affordability of South Africa’s information and communication infrastructure ensured.

Outcome 10: Protect and enhance our environmental assets and natural resources.

Suboutcome 2: An effective climate change mitigation and adaptation response

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) These documents form the basis of the department being held accountable by Parliament on a quarterly basis and also being held accountable by the public.  The performance agreement of the Minister is therefore publicly assessed through the Portfolio Committees on a regular basis. 

Reply:

1). There is an interim project management team at the Nkowankowa Demonstration Centre (NDC). The interim project management team is constituted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and a local Black farmer who has experience in running a mango processing factory. This interim arrangement is intended to maintain operations at the NDC until the completion of the ongoing investigation. (b) The interim management team was established in January 2016. The DST is responsible for all decisions relating to the NDC.

2) Yes. There is an ongoing investigation at the NDC and the project manager is under suspension, pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of maladministration.(a) The focus of the investigation is on allegations of maladministration of the NDC. (b) It is expected that the investigation will be concluded at the end of April 2016. (c) A report will not be made available pending the finalisation of the investigation and/ or any proceedings related thereon as disclosure of the report may prejudice the investigation and subsequent proceedings thereon.

3) Yes. (a) There has been one civil case instituted by the local engineering company against the suspended project manager, for failure and/ or refusal by the project manager to pay for goods allegedly delivered to the NDC. (b) (c) The DST is not privy to the status of the matter in that it was not party to the proceedings and despite its attempts to resolve this matter amicably, the suspended project manager did not cooperate with the DST officials and the plaintiff’s attorneys to resolve this matter.

 

Reply:

a) Yes. South Africa's scientific output, measured by publications in internationally accredited journals, increased at an average rate of 10% per year from 2003 to 2012, representing an average growth of 624 publications per year. This is much higher than the world average, with a steady increase in the country’s share of the world’s journal publication (from 0.49% in 2003 to 0.73% in 2012).

Several reports (Africa Innovation Outlook -2012; Global Research Report – 2010, and UNESCO Institute for Statistics Information Bulletin) confirm that South Africa leads the continent in for example, the largest proportion of researchers per employed population in Africa, spending on research and development (R&D) in US dollar terms (based on purchasing power parity, and the number of internationally recognized research outputs).

b) Yes. Trends from the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO) provide indication of progress with regard to the economic and professional exploitation of knowledge in South Africa. NIPMO has now been in place for five years and systems are in place to collect information on invention disclosures (in the form of patents, designs, copyrighted work, new software, plant breeders’ rights and trademarks) arising from scientific and technological research activities as well as formation of new enterprises and technology transfer activities.

For example, invention disclosures arising from publicly funded R&D, statistics collected by NIPMO indicate a growth in these activities with over 1000 disclosures having been reported to NIPMO since 2010 starting with 96 disclosures during 2010/11 financial year and increasing progressively to 252 disclosures during 2014/15.  During 2015/16 disclosures are on track to exceed the figures of 2014/15 financial year.  These disclosures are being tracked to monitor whether the intellectual property is being protected in terms of a granted patent, design, trade mark, etc. and the status of commercialisation/exploitation of this intellectual property. 

Furthermore, it is noted that since 2010 the number of granted patents being managed by an office of technology transfer has doubled while the number of licenses granted has almost tripled.  Over 5% of more than 1000 disclosures have been commercialised with revenue in excess of R2,5 million accruing to the institutions.  Based on an internationally accepted 5:95 rule this means that R47.5 million has accrued in terms of economic growth to the country as a whole.  These are very encouraging figures considering the early days of this piece of legislation, having only celebrated its five year anniversary in August 2015.

c) Yes. In the 2014/15 financial year, the DST was able to secure R354 600 000 of foreign funds from international partners through agreed science, technology and innovation instruments for knowledge production, technology transfer, enhance innovation, and STI human capital development.

To ensure that the DST is leveraging private sector funding for innovation, the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan now includes a specific indicator to monitor the level of investment in research, development, and innovation (RDI) partnerships by government and the private sector. Nevertheless, the current low levels of business confidence do impact on the willingness of the private sector to commit to long-term spending on RDI. The DST is however addressing this constraint in a number of ways. For example, the DST is utilising the R&D Tax Incentive, as well as the Sector Innovation Funds (SIFs) as vehicles to attract private sector investment.

d) Yes. The DST has various initiatives and programmes for strengthening knowledge generation and knowledge-exploitation capabilities of historically disadvantaged higher education institutions. For example, in the bioeconomy arena through the initiative of the DST a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Pfizer Inc. and the North-West University (NWU) was signed for the potential use of Pfizer's genetically modified animal models for evaluations in oncology, inflammation and immunology, as well as central nervous system and cardiovascular system disorders. Furthermore, other initiatives which are meant to empower the previously disadvantaged higher education institutions include the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) indicated in the Table below. The main goal of the Research Chairs initiative is to strengthen and improve research and innovation capacity of public universities for producing high quality postgraduate students and research and innovation outputs.

Table: South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI)

Research Chairs awarded	Previously disadvantaged institution
Computational Modelling of Materials	University of Limpopo
Biodiversity Value and Change in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve	University of Venda
Nanotechnology	University of Zululand
Indigenous Knowledge Systems	Walter Sisulu University
Social Change	University of Fort Hare
Nuclear Engineering	North-West University
Astrophysics & Space Physics	North-West University

e) Yes. In terms of developing and strengthening regional and provincial innovation systems and capabilities, the DST supports the establishment of Regional Innovation Forums (RIF) to promote the development of regional and provincial innovation systems through the interaction of academia, industry/business, communities and government to support Provincial Growth and Development Strategies, Integrated Development Plans and development plans of local municipalities. The most active RIFs currently are in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape and there is effort to scale up to other provinces.

Through the RIFs, the DST has supported hosting of strategy and planning workshops that led to regional innovation interventions with regard to the development of Regional/Provincial Innovation Strategies, feasibility studies and business plans for science parks or innovation hubs such as:

• the networking, mentorship programme and innovation strategy workshops managed by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) that led to  establishment of the Propella Business Incubator at NMMU. The Propella supports technology start-ups and accelerates existing SMMEs in the areas of energy  efficiency, renewable energy technology, advanced manufacturing and supply chain optimisation;
• the Eastern Cape Provincial Innovation Strategy;
• the Free State Feasibility study for the establishment of a Science Park;
• the Science Park development in Southern Gauteng at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT);  and
• support for networking and innovation forums in Western Cape.

 

Other areas planned for  receiving DST support for RIF and Science Park development include Kwa-Zulu Natal in support of the 4 Regional Technology Hubs that are currently being implemented, and  Science Park development in one of the Gauteng SEZs in collaboration with the Chinese Government.

Reply:

The Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) Strategic Plan (2015-2020) outlines what the DST will do to help achieve this target. For the year 2015/16, for instance, the DST has a budget of R7 482 billion, of which 92,2% (R6,9 billion) is allocated to entities that report to the Minister of Science and Technology. Key funding priorities for the DST over the medium term include developing human capital, creating new knowledge, growing research infrastructure, and encouraging innovation by funding marketable products emerging from research and incubation. All these are essential elements of a policy framework to encourage other actors in the system of innovation to contribute to increasing the investment in R&D at appropriate levels.

The DST is working closely with National Treasury on plans on how the target can be achieved. Across government, there are a number of avenues for investment in science, technology and innovation activities through various departments, their entities as well as work they do with the higher education institutions. Another major part of the effort involves building partnership arrangements with the private sector and international partners that will help leverage further resources for R&D investment.

 

 

Reply:

1. Yes,

(aa/ab) During July 2015, a meeting was held between the Minister, management of the Department and officials from Auditor General in which Supply Chain Management and Performance Information management were discussed.

(ac) The Contract Management Sub-Unit has been established, this Sub-Unit has a Practitioner and interviews for the Assistant Director: Contract Management will be conducted in December 2015. In addition to this the Director: Supply Chain Management has been appointed with effect from 01 December 2015. The appointment of these officials will not only secure stability in Contract Management in the Department but will also ensure consistent administration and management of contracts, e.g., the database of contracts kept in Supply Chain Management will be monitored and reviewed monthly by the Chief Financial Officer.

(ac)(i) The Supply Chain Management directorate had experienced capacity constraints however this was addressed through the appointment of contract employees.

(ac)(ii) In terms of oversight responsibilities, the Chief Financial Officer will ensure that there is regular monitoring and reviews of the contract administration and compliance with Supply Chain Management policies and procedures.

Reply:

1. Yes,

(aa/ab) During July 2015, a meeting was held between the Minister, management of the Department and officials from Auditor General in which Supply Chain Management and Performance Information management were discussed.

(ac) The Contract Management Sub-Unit has been established, this Sub-Unit has a Practitioner and interviews for the Assistant Director: Contract Management will be conducted in December 2015. In addition to this the Director: Supply Chain Management has been appointed with effect from 01 December 2015. The appointment of these officials will not only secure stability in Contract Management in the Department but will also ensure consistent administration and management of contracts, e.g., the database of contracts kept in Supply Chain Management will be monitored and reviewed monthly by the Chief Financial Officer.

(ac)(i) The Supply Chain Management directorate had experienced capacity constraints however this was addressed through the appointment of contract employees.

(ac)(ii) In terms of oversight responsibilities, the Chief Financial Officer will ensure that there is regular monitoring and reviews of the contract administration and compliance with Supply Chain Management policies and procedures.

Reply:

1.

(a)	(b)
R6 706 495,32	1596

2.

(a)	(b)
R1 377 154,53	R381 595,41