Science, Innovation and Technology 2024 year-end message

2024 year-end message by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

We have come to end of yet another year. This affords us the opportunity to reflect on the out-going year and to prepare for the in-coming one.

As Minister and Deputy Minister, we welcomed the privilege bestowed on us by the President to serve our country and its people, through the recently renamed Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI).

Building on the successes of the sixth administration, under the seventh administration, guided by the 2019 White Paper on Science and Technology and Innovation and Decadal Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (2022-2032), our Department and its entities, have continued their focus on using science, technology and innovation (STI), to address our country’s most urgent social challenges.

Therefore, during the past five months, we have accelerated our interventions to strengthen and transform our entities and National System of Innovation (NSI), increased the development of human resources and in particular high-end skills and intensified efforts to accelerate the scale and pace of innovation across the NSI.

We also accelerated our focus on building high calibre science infrastructure, enhancing public understanding of STI and producing research and technology to support government’s priorities of poverty reduction, job creation, inclusive growth and the building of a capable and ethical state.

We also hosted a number of key national and global events such as our National Science Week, Women in Science Awards and the 32nd General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union.

A few days ago, we hosted a highly successful 8th edition of our annual Science Forum South Africa. We also co-hosted the official launch of the 2024 Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators Report and our country’s first Astro-Tourism Strategy.

In line with the focus of our science diplomacy strategy, in July, we announced a new programme to enable cooperation in science, technology and innovation between South Africa and Palestine.

The programme has a special focus on supporting the safeguarding, rebuilding, and development of Palestine’s research and innovation capacities and infrastructure.

2025 Promises to be an exciting year for STI
2025 promises to be another great year for the advancement of STI. In anticipation of new possibilities and opportunities, we recently adopted an overarching mantra, which is: Placing Science, Technology, and Innovation at the centre of Government, Education, Society, and Industry.

Inspired by this mantra, in the new year, we will seek to be more aggressive in using science, technology and innovation to address our country’s most urgent social challenges.

Therefore, as the DSTI, in 2025, we will continue to focus on the following strategic priorities:

•  Ensure greater coherence and impact of existing interventions to promote and profile the work of the DSTI and its entities;
•  Continue with driving targeted research and development of emerging technologies and its diffusion into key economic sectors such as energy, agriculture, mining, health, and the circular and digital economies;
•  Continue with the upgrading and development of new science infrastructure;
•  Continue with the development of critical and high-end skills, particularly through the Presidential PhD Programme (PPhP);
•  Continue with efforts to strengthen the coordination and direction of our NSI through among others, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on STI, Presidential Plenary and the Transformation Summit to place STI at the centre of national development;
•  Mobilising additional funding and resources to raise the scale and impact of our key programmes and interventions and to use existing funding and resources innovatively; and
•  Continue to strengthen strategic partnerships with a bias towards the African continent and countries in the Global South.

As South Africa gears up for its G20 Presidency, the DSTI will contribute by using STI to advance our domestic policy priorities as recently articulated by the President.

We will also use this opportunity to strengthen STI cooperation with countries on the African continent and those in the Global South.

As the DSTI, we also look forward to hosting a number of important events in the new year. From 20-21 February 2025, we will be hosting our inaugural Ministerial Summit on Transformation in South Africa’s National System of Innovation which will focus on a critical assessment of the structure and functions of the NSI in responding adequately to the country’s transformation agenda.

Towards the end of 2025, we will also be hosting the World Conference of Science Journalists. We will use this Conference to among others support the training of more science journalists for South Africa and to enhance public understanding of the value and role of science.

On behalf of the Deputy of Minister and myself, I wish to take this opportunity to express our sincerest gratitude to the staff of the Department, its Entities and the entire NSI, for their hard work and dedication during the year 2024.

I wish each of you and your families a peaceful and safe festive season. Please use this time to enjoy much deserved rest.

Let us make 2025 another year of great achievements for science, technology and innovation in South Africa.

Enquiries: Veli Mbele (Media Liaison Officer and Spokesperson)
064 615 0644 or Veli.Mbele@dst.gov.za

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