Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the inaugural Presidential Science, Technology and Innovation Plenary, CSIR Convention Centre, Tshwane

Programme Director, Dr Phil Mjwara,
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande,
CEO of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr Thulani Dlamini, 
CEO of the National Advisory Council on Innovation, Dr Mlungisi Cele,
CEO of Business Unity South Africa, Mr Cas Coovadia,
Members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee present,
Representatives of business, academia, the diplomatic community and civil society,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to be here at this first Presidential Science, Technology and Innovation Plenary.

This is an important initiative that brings together government, academia, civil society and industry to collectively drive South Africa’s National System of Innovation.

Science, technology and innovation are essential for economies to thrive and for societies to prosper. 

In the new world of work, in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, science, technology and innovation determine which countries move forward and which are left behind.

Our country has several strengths.

According to the 2022 Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, South Africa ranked 61st out of the 132 economies featured for innovation capabilities. 

Our country performs above the upper-middle-income group average in three areas, namely market sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs. 

According to the index, we have improved on indicators such as the number of patents by origin, citable documents, intellectual property receipts, high-tech manufacturing and high-tech exports.

However, our performance is mixed with respect to the factors that drive innovation, such as education expenditure, expenditure on research and development and access to information technology. 

There have been significant strides in higher education that we need to recognise.

The number of students graduating from public universities, for example, increased from about 60,000 in 1994 to around 230,000 by 2018.

The share of graduates in science, engineering and technology fields has been increasing compared to graduates in the humanities.

As we build on the investment we have made in the young people of our country, we need also to significantly increase our investment in research and development.

In 2021, gross expenditure on R&D in South Africa was 0.6 percent of GDP, far below our target of 1.5 percent.

By comparison, in 2022, the United States spent 2.6 percent and South Korea spent 5 percent of their respective GDPs on research and development.

This is a situation that we are determined to turn around.

Through greater cooperation between government and industry, we can reverse this trend.

At the South Africa Investment Conference earlier this year, Minister Blade Nzimande presented the early results of the Innovation Fund initiative, where the state has partnered with business in supporting technology-based SMMEs to commercialise their products. 

So far, through this initiative, we have succeeded in attracting R6 from the private sector for every R1 invested by the state. 

Building on our many strengths, we can do much more.

The Global Innovation Index highlights, for example, a significant increase in venture capital, which is an important indicator of an economy’s innovation potential.

I have just come from the exhibition where we saw some of our country’s innovations in mobility, mining, clean energy and others.

The potential of science, technology and innovation to modernise and expand the productive sectors is vast. 

One notes for example the research being conducted under the auspices of the Mandela Mining Precinct and the South African Mining Extraction Research, Development and Innovation initiative, which is aimed at revitalising our mining industry.

Significant research and development is taking place in new frontiers of industrial development, such as renewable energy and green hydrogen. 

Medical innovation is another area where South Africa has recorded progress.

Our experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated our nation’s drive to achieve health security through, among others, vaccine production. 

Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation officially launched its mRNA vaccine technology hub in Cape Town.

Afrigen Biologics, a South African company part-owned by the Industrial Development Corporation, is working on a new tuberculosis vaccine using mRNA technology. 

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently allocated $5 million to Biovac in South Africa to develop mRNA vaccines using a local platform. 

This grant enables our researchers and scientists to strengthen the pharmaceutical research and vaccine production ecosystem so that we are able to address both current and future health challenges.

We see innovation being deployed in the cause of addressing unemployment. 

The Jobs Fund is investing in science and technology activities that directly contribute to sustainable job creation and small business development.

Earlier this month, the Technology Innovation Agency issued a call for proposals from grassroots innovators looking for funding and technical assistance on developing new products or processes.

Scientific innovation was harnessed during the floods in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country last year. 

Recognising the importance of real-time data to inform decision-making, the South African National Space Agency collaborated with the National Disaster Management Centre to make high-resolution satellite imagery available to assist the rescue and recovery efforts. 

Given the reality of climate change, this kind of scientific collaboration will become increasingly important.

From these examples, it is clear that we are certainly progressing, but not at the pace we should be. 

For science, technology and innovation to serve South Africa’s economy and society effectively we need to aggressively and strategically invest in education and skills development, because this is the lifeblood of a modern economy.

It therefore gives me pleasure to announce the establishment of the Presidential PhD Initiative through an initial R1 billion investment from the National Skills Fund. 

The aim of the first phase is to expose our country’s brightest young minds to cutting-edge thinking and research by negotiating opportunities at world-leading universities and research centres. 

Their studies will be linked to large-scale and established research programmes, both in public research facilities and in industry. 

The programme will build critical skills in areas like artificial intelligence research, advanced biotechnology, fuel cell development, batteries and other storage, and next-generation mining. 

I would like to extend a call to the private sector and our international partners to assist in growing the investment for the Presidential PhD Initiative fund to R5 billion by 2030. 

Pooling resources and expertise has been a guiding principle of the work that government is doing with organisations such as Business Unity South Africa and Business for South Africa. 

As we reflect on the potential of science, technology and innovation to contribute to South Africa’s national priorities, we need to work collaboratively and ensure synergy between programmes across the national system of innovation. 

As we proceed on this journey, we can learn from the experiences of other countries. 

We must harness education, science and innovation to protect our natural environment, drive inclusive economic growth and enrich all areas of human endeavour. 

I wish you well with your deliberations and look forward to the productive outcomes of this inaugural Presidential Science, Technology and Innovation Plenary. 

I thank you.