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Second time round, Pandor aims to add scientific stimulus to NDP

20th June 2014

By: Keith Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

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Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor, recently appointed to the post for the second time, has committed her department to vigorously help in the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP). She was speaking at a recent media conference at the Department of Science and Technology head office, in Pretoria.

“Development without science is not really development,” she affirmed. She noted that the NDP identified education, training and innovation as being at the heart of the country’s long- term development. Pandor quoted from the NDP: “. . . inadequate capacity will constrain knowledge production and innovation unless effectively addressed.”

Two of the measures being taken by her department were the finalisation of the implementation plan for the Bioeconomy Strategy (a strategy which was unveiled earlier this year) and to finish the Human Capital Development for Research, Innovation and Scholarship Strategy and implementation plan. “Our [human capital development] plan cannot be business as usual,” she asserted. “We must persuade government [to create more knowledge workers]. We are going to be arguing quite strongly for more resources in this area.” She pointed out that the re-elected African National Congress government had committed itself to increasing funding for research and innovation to 1.5% of the country’s gross domestic product by 2019.

Responding to a question about develop- ing significant numbers of new black researchers in particular, she replied: “If we are to get the numbers, we must increase the funding and the support. But I do think we have the possibility of upping the numbers.”

In her prepared statement to the media, Pandor also highlighted the role regarding international cooperation. In particular, she cited the UK government’s Newton programme to help develop research, development and innovation skills in selected countries. South Africa was one of these partner countries. “We’re very excited about the Newton project,” she reported, pointing out that the UK had put aside a “significant amount of money” (£375-million) to fund it. She also cited cooperation with the other member countries of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) alignment. “I am extremely impressed by the initiative Brazil is taking with its international doctoral programmes and I think this is something South Africa should look at. “

MeerKAT Worries
However, she expressed concern about progress with South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope array. She was responding to a question from a journalist. MeerKAT is one of South Africa’s flagship scientific programmes, if not the flagship project. She noted that the dates for the commissioning of the MeerKAT seemed to be changing. Originally, it was set for 2016, but she reported that more recently she had seen 2017 and even 2018 suggested instead. “If there is a timeline, we must adhere to it or explain to the South African people why the delay is happening,” she said.

In her prepared statement to the media at the start of the media conference, Pandor highlighted the importance of the MeerKAT project, and its role as part of the first phase of the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project. She remarked that she had been excited to hear of the UK government’s funding commitment for the construction of the first phase of the SKA.

She emphasised that the SKA formed part of the Department of Science and Technology’s African Agenda, which included the development of the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network (AVN). “We will be working on the construction of the SKA and the realisation of its potential for scientific development on the African continent,” she affirmed.

Regarding cooperation with other African countries, Pandor stated that particular attention would be given to the Southern African Development Community (SADC). “We don’t want to be overambitious and think that we can address the whole of Africa.” However, she did not limit such scientific cooperation to only SADC countries. (The AVN, for example, involves Ghana and is likely to involve Kenya as well as SADC and other non-SADC countries.)

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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