Minister Blade Nzimande: Formal announcement of the inaugural edition of National Science Month

Statement by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande, on the occasion of the formal announcement of the inaugural edition of National Science Month

Programme Director, Mr Veli Mbele;
Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Nomalungelo Gina;
My Special Advisor, Mr Nqaba Nqandela;
Our Science Expert, Dr Derrick Swartz;
Director-General, Dr Mlungisi Cele;
Deputy Directors-General;
Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of our entities;
Members of the media;

Fellow South Africans:

It is with great honour that I address you today to formally announce the introduction of the inaugural edition of our country’s National Science Month (NSM) initiative.

This is a significant milestone for South Africa’s public science and innovation system and for government’s broader efforts to improve people’s lives through science, technology and innovation.

Given the historic significance of this moment, I wish to highlight four important issues. The first is the origin and rationale for National Science Month. Since 2000, our department has implemented National Science Week as its flagship science engagement initiative.

While National Science Week has achieved its core objectives, the Ten-Year Review of National Science Week in 2011 and independent studies, including the 2022 South African Public Relationship with Science Survey conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), highlighted the need to significantly expand the scope and geographical reach of our science engagement efforts.

This expansion is necessary because our public science and innovation system must respond more effectively to new global technological trends. Transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, green energy technologies and advanced biotechnology are profoundly reshaping the global economy and the way the world functions.

In addition to responding to global technological change, we are also making decisive shifts to strengthen the relationship between our public science system and industry. This is essential to improving our innovation capabilities and advancing innovation-led industrialisation.

It is for this reason that we recently hosted the inaugural Industrialisation Through Innovation Summit, together with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.

Additionally, next week, on 8 July, I will also participate in the inaugural Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) Lecture, to be hosted by the ST&I Business Forum.

It was against this background that, during the 2024 formal launch of National Science Week at the Central University of Technology, I requested our department to expand and diversify our premier science engagement programme from one week to a full month, or even longer.

The transition to National Science Month is therefore more than an expansion of National Science Week. It is an opportunity to deepen public appreciation of science, technology and innovation by demonstrating how science helps us understand the natural and social world, create and apply new technological and social innovations, solve pressing real-world problems, and build the capacity of the State and economic actors to better serve the needs of our people.

Equally important is our intention to showcase the transformative research and technologies produced by our public science institutions, and to demonstrate how they improve the lives of citizens while enabling South Africa to achieve higher levels of development.

Our decision to move from National Science Week to National Science Month is also informed by our departmental mantra: “Placing Science, Technology and Innovation at the Centre of Government, Education, Industry and Society.”

Our mantra places several obligations on our department and its entities, including the need to be intentional about changing the notion that science is an elitist enterprise. This is why we chose the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation Are for Everyone” for the official launch of National Science Month.

The second issue I wish to highlight is some of the key features of the official launch event. The official launch of National Science Month will take place on Saturday, 4 July, in Sebokeng, at the Vaal University of Technology Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park.

As stated, the theme of the event is “Science, Technology and Innovation Are for Everyone.” Through this theme, we seek to communicate that science, technology and innovation belong to all people, regardless of ethnicity, class, gender, belief or location, and that they must serve the needs of society as a whole.

The launch event will set the tone for a comprehensive, month-long programme of meaningful public engagement with science. It will include an exciting science exhibition comprising 132 stands and more than 100 exhibitors.

Participating institutions include the host, Vaal University of Technology, as well as the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Johannesburg, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the University of Cape Town, North-West University, the University of Limpopo, Stellenbosch University, the University of Venda, Tshwane University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Sol Plaatje University and Nelson Mandela University, among others.

Participating institutions will also include entities of our department, such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the National Research Foundation (NRF), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and the South African Council for Natural and Scientific Professions (SACNASP). These entities will form part of the exhibition and will also host science engagement programmes during July in support of National Science Month.

The third issue I wish to highlight is the target groups and thematic areas. National Science Month targets every sector of society, including learners, educators, students, scientists, researchers, innovators, industry players, indigenous knowledge holders, science interpreters, journalists, STEM professionals, government departments, research institutions, knowledge intermediary institutions, think tanks, tourists and the general public.

During July, over 31 days and across various provinces, these target groups, participating institutions and partners will take part in an exciting range of interactive activities curated around 14 thematic areas.

These thematic areas include technology and innovation; science in human health; environmental conservation and management; science in service delivery; science in education; science in journalism; science in human rights; climate change; space science and astronomy; decolonising knowledge systems; science diplomacy; science for decision-makers; South Africans’ relationship with science; public awareness of research institutions; and science and youth.

The launch of National Science Month also coincides with SADC Industrialisation Week, which will take place from 27 to 31 July. We will therefore link the final week of the National Science Month programme to this important regional event.

This linkage recognises the need to strengthen regional economic integration and industrialisation, especially in response to uneven economic development in our region, which remains one of the factors contributing to tensions around immigration.

The fourth and final issue I wish to highlight is the importance of using our science, technology and innovation capabilities to reaffirm our national pride. All countries use aspects of their national character to define themselves and forge a shared sense of pride among their citizens. Like all countries, South Africa faces its own development challenges.

However, despite these challenges, there are many achievements we should be proud of and celebrate more openly, including our advances in science, technology and innovation. National Science Month offers an opportunity to highlight both South Africa’s significant capabilities and new frontiers and challenges to confront in the quest for a scientifically literate and competent society.

Historically, and still to a considerable extent today, South Africa possesses one of the largest and most advanced public science systems on the African continent. But we must ensure funding and social participation in development does not lag behind the pressing needs of the present and future.

In space science and astronomy, for example, South Africa is proud to co-host the Square Kilometre Array, the world’s largest radio astronomy project, as well as another major scientific project, the Southern African Large Telescope. Both are located in the Northern Cape.

In health innovation, we have built the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure at Steve Biko Academic Hospital here in Tshwane. This state-of-the-art facility advances drug development and clinical research, and provides cutting-edge diagnostics and treatment for cancer, tuberculosis and other major diseases. It is also the only facility of its kind on the African continent.

You may also recall that, at the height of the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was South African scientists who led the discovery of the new COVID-19 variants.

Recently, one of our partner companies, Biovac, received approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to begin clinical trials of its oral cholera vaccine. This breakthrough positions our country to become a significant vaccine manufacturing hub and represents an important step in developing sovereign vaccine production capacity in Africa.

We are also proud of the significant impact of our scientists in advancing global science and innovation. This is evident in the contributions of Professor Tulio de Oliveira, Professors Salim Abdool Karim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim in genomics and HIV/AIDS research; Professor Vukosi Marivate in artificial intelligence; and Professor Liesl Zühlke in global health science research leadership.

These and countless other examples are some of the inspiring science stories that all South Africans should know about. They demonstrate the value of science in everyday life and show how our public science system contributes to national progress.

For this reason, we wish to make a special appeal to our colleagues in the media to support our efforts to promote South Africa’s good science story and the vital role of science, technology and innovation to the future of society.

In conclusion, National Science Month is not only about raising public awareness of the outstanding work being done by our public science institutions and scientists. It is also about using South Africa’s science, technology and innovation capabilities to develop evidence-based solutions to everyday challenges such as unemployment, poverty, education, health care, water provision, energy security, crime, violence and migration.

We therefore wish to use this historic announcement to make a strong call to every citizen and every family, in every town and village, to please find out which institution in your province will be participating in National Science Month activities and get involved.

Finally, in my capacity as Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, and on behalf of our country’s entire public science system, it is now my honour and privilege to formally announce the introduction of National Science Month as South Africa’s premier science engagement initiative.

Thank you for your attention.

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