The chairperson of the board of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Thokozani Majozi, has warned that the organisation is going to have to relook at its funding model. He was giving the keynote address at the biennial CSIR Excellence Awards held in Pretoria recently. He pointed out that the science council would not be able to rely on its Parliamentary grant in future. He cited the #Fees Must Fall student protests (demanding free tertiary education for all students) as an example of the increasing pressures on the State fiscus.

He suggested that the CSIR work more closely with the private sector in future. He pointed out that the council was already working with State-owned companies, but needed to do more with the private sector. This was necessary not only to cover any future shortfall in income. “It is necessary that we grow our revenue streams,” he affirmed. This will give the organisation the financial means to fulfill its missions and achieve its objectives.

The fundamental objective of the CSIR is to improve the quality of life of all South Africans. More specifically, the country faced the “triple challenge” of unemployment, poverty and inequality. Majozi affirmed that achieving job creation would also address poverty and inequality.

As far as the CSIR was concerned, he felt that, in the past, it had focused on the “S” and “R” in its name and not on the “I”. But he cited a couple of recent initiatives by the council to develop small and medium industrial enterprises. “We should continue along this trajectory.”

However, he also warned against an exclusive focus on applied research. “If all our science was aimed at solving the problems of today, it would quickly stagnate.” The CSIR also had to carry out “blue sky” fundamental research. And it had to ensure it had the funding to do so – hence, the need to re-examine its sources of income.

Secure income was also essential to ensure the organisation met another major challenge: human capital development. “The CSIR currently only has 18% PhDs in its science, engineering and technology cohort,” he warned. The proportion should be about 30%. The council had far too few chief scientists and not one chief scientist or chief researcher was black.

To stimulate an interest in science, engineering and technology among the young, the CSIR board and executive had, he announced, agreed to establish a CSIR Visitors Centre. This was inspired by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation’s Visitors Centre at its Pelindaba complex, west of Pretoria. “The [Visitors Centre] will be implemented going forward. This will be a major, major, intervention.”

In conclusion, he described the role of the board as being that of a lighthouse, guiding the captain of the ship (the CEO). “Let the people who do the work, do it!” asserted Majozi.