Department of Science, Technology and Innovation minister professor Blade Nzimande.
Science, technology and innovation minister Blade Nzimande has once again advocated for improved quality of mathematics and science education in public schools.
This, he identified, is among the critical areas that will aid African countries to chart their own sovereign research agenda.
Nzimande was speaking at the Science Forum South Africa (SFSA), which is being held under the theme: “Placing science, technology and innovation at the centre of government, education, industry and society.”
Now in its 10th year, SFSA 2025 has brought together over 6 000 participants, including scientists, policymakers, youth innovators, entrepreneurs and civil society representatives.
The minister explained that a sovereign research agenda for Africa is one designed, funded and directed based on African priorities and concerns.
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“[It is] not based on the generosity of external donors,” he said. “We do need and use donors, but the agenda must be African. Donors must be flexible to give donations allowing Africa to pursue its own sovereign agenda.”
Further advocating for a research framework designed around African priorities, Nzimande said African countries must build robust and accessible science infrastructure and regional networks that are accessible to all scientists and researchers across the continent.
He highlighted the need to create institutional and policy mechanisms to reverse the loss of critical skills and intellectual property, as well as increase investments in research and development (R&D).
“As African countries, we must develop closer articulations between science, technology and innovation, and industry and economic networks to enable tech-commercialisation and increase the scale and support for technology-driven SMEs [small and medium enterprises].
“We need to develop a coherent strategy to use artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to enable the implementation of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa.
“Perhaps most importantly, African countries must significantly increase their expenditure on R&D as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).”
In SA, statistics published by the National Survey of Research and Experimental Development (R&D survey) showed R&D funding rebounded last year, after three years of decline.
The R&D survey is produced annually by the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators, with support from Statistics South Africa, on behalf of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI). It provides an update on SA’s R&D statistics, measuring the size, growth and composition of R&D in terms of expenditure, funding and personnel.
The survey is published a year later because it covers actual expenditure and not projections, as previously revealed by a DSTI official.
In real terms, last year’s survey showed that gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) grew by 6.9% year-on-year in 2021/22, from R25.9 billion in 2020/21 to R27.8 billion in 2021/22.
The R&D survey shows GERD as a percentage of GDP was 0.62% in 2021/22, which is two basis points higher than the 0.60% recorded in 2020/21.
“Unlike the 6% contraction in GDP witnessed during the COVID pandemic in 2020, South Africa experienced a notable recovery, with a 4.7% increase in GDP in 2021. The increase in GERD was driven by the R&D expenditure from the business sector,” noted the survey.
