Petrochemicals giant Sasol on Tuesday announced an annual financial injection of R25-million into South African academia to ensure the development of world-class science and engineering graduates, to help retain and attract talented academics to teach at universities and to grow the engineering profession.

The investment formed part of a R250-million collaborative commitment over ten years.

The natural science and engineering faculties of the Universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, North West, Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and Pretoria, were participating in the collaboration programme.

Further to the R25-million investment, the group had already spent R75-million upgrading research facilities and equipment at a number of participating universities over the past three years.

“This is a proactive step to help our universities meet critical research and development skills essential to the future growth and prosperity of our industry and our nation,” said Sasol CE Pat Davies at the handover event in Johannesburg.

“The success of our growth aspirations both at home and abroad depends on our ability to build a sustainable and adaptive organisation of talented, diverse, competent and inspired people who can face the future with confidence. Similarly, for South Africa to develop and grow, more skilled scientists must be trained,” he noted.

The initiative would also contribute to the Engineering Council of South Africa’s commitment to growing the engineering profession by increasing the number of engineering practitioners to ensure sufficient capacity to stimulate the economy.