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Date: 21/09/2006
Source: Department of Science and Technology
Title: Mangena: Launch of Science and Technology-National Research Foundation


Keynote address by the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena, at the launch of 2006/07 Department of Science and Technology- National Research Foundation (DST-NRF) Internship Programme, Pretoria

Executive Director: Institutional Capacity Development (NRF), Dr Romila Maharaj Our Guests of Honour, the Interns for the 2006/07 DST - NRF Internship Programme;
Colleagues and friends
Ladies and gentlemen

The implementation of internship programmes is one of the critical national priorities aimed at addressing unemployment among the young people of South Africa. This reality was again emphasised by President Mbeki in his opening of Parliament address earlier this year. In support of this programme, government is determined to increase the resource allocation for innovation, research and development and to enlarge the pool of young researchers in science, engineering and technology.

Government has been working on specific interventions to ensure that the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) succeeds in achieving its goals. These include, among others, the reduction of unemployment levels especially among the youth. These interventions are intended to serve as catalysts to our growth and development strategies.

One issue that could negatively affect the capacity of public and private sectors to meet the goals set by AsgiSA is the lack of scarce skills. For this purpose, the Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) has been established. The JIPSA will provide a vehicle through which government, business; labour and civil society can act jointly to respond to the skills challenge. In this area internship programmes can be of considerable value to facilitate the direct transfer of scarce skills from mentor to intern.

South Africans have a pioneering spirit, courage and the determination to succeed. We are a nation of winners. These traits continue to drive us as we strive to find fresh and innovative solutions to deal with our challenges. It is difficult to explain how we, a relatively small country here at the southernmost tip of Africa, manage to compete with the best in the world and succeed beyond expectations.

Ample proof of this ability is evinced by innovative technologies developed by South African researchers. One such example is South Africa's new low earth-orbiting micro-satellite, SumbandilaSAT, due to be launched into space on the back of a Russian missile from a Russian submarine in the Barents Sea in December.

SumbandilaSAT is being built at Sunspace and Information Systems in Stellenbosch, the company responsible for developing South Africa's first satellite, Sunsat. It forms part of my department's three-year satellite development programme. This programme is aimed at demonstrating our country's space science capabilities and providing SA with affordable access to space technology.

SumbandilaSAT will orbit the earth at a distance of about 80 kilometres. The high-resolution images it can generate will help manage disasters such as oil spills, fires and floods, assist in urban planning and monitoring crops and gather data on climate change. The new technology used in the development of this satellite is ample proof that South Africans can lead the way in international science and technology.

Another showcase for South African science and technology is coming up very soon in fact only in three days' time. I want to invite all of you to attend Africa's premier science event, the International Science, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (INSITE), which will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 24 to 27 September 2006. The INSITE provides us with an invaluable platform to showcase our country's advances in scientific knowledge, and to compare and benchmark our achievements with the world. In South Africa, September is welcomed as a month of hope, joy and celebration as it is traditionally associated with spring. It signifies new beginnings, new life, and renewed hope.

In order to continue achieving all the milestones mentioned above, we need to increase our pool of scientists, engineers and technologists. Therefore, one of the reasons we are here today is to mark one such new beginning, one aimed at assisting some of South Africa's brightest young people in embarking on a career of their choice, which holds the promise of success, hope and personal fulfilment. Participation in the internship programme will not only be of benefit to the interns, but will also be of immense value to our country as a whole. This is one of the initiatives intended to ensure a steady stream of skilled and qualified people into our Science System. The national system of innovation is the powerhouse that at once enables us to compete favourably with other nations and equips us to successfully fight enemies such as poverty, HIV and AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

My department, in partnership with the National Research Foundation, introduced its first internship programme in 2005. The outcomes of this programme, ladies and gentlemen, have been highly encouraging. They promise to produce significant advances in addressing some of our country's most pressing issues such as the skills shortage and the scourge of youth unemployment.

Through this programme, we aim to place graduate interns in the Science Councils, Science Institutions and Science Programmes, in order to increase our chances of attracting and retaining suitable candidates from the pool of interns.

The internship programme is also linked to the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), which was established with the intention of radically transforming education and training in South Africa by improving both the quality and quantity of training of our students. The objective is to achieve increased competitiveness by industry, and to improve the standard of living of all South Africans.

The internship programme of 2005/06 yielded some interesting and impressive statistics:

Of the 49 interns, 36 have gained employment. From those who gained employment, 32 found employment relevant to their field of study, while four of the interns are employed in areas that are not relevant to their field of study. Twenty are employed in permanent positions and 16 on contract. Of the 49 interns, only 10 are still unemployed, and of these three are pursuing postgraduate studies.

Due to the success rate of the programme, intern numbers have grown from 49 to 165 for the 2006/07 financial year. For this financial year, we received applications from graduates specialising in 50 areas ranging from computer science, mathematics, chemistry and physics to microbiology, biochemistry, genetics and environment science. The science system in South Africa can only benefit from the influx of such skills. We congratulate all the interns in this programme. You have embarked on a route that will not only lead to your own personal and professional success, but will also benefit your families, your children, your communities, the National Science System and our country as a whole. We urge you to make the most of this learning experience.

We encourage you to become lifelong students. Try to learn and do something new every day. Keep track of new developments, changing technology and trends. Better still, drive those changes and spearhead new developments. Breathe new life into old projects and programmes. Infuse your everyday working life with a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I reiterate my earlier assertion that September is a month of new beginnings and renewed hope. It is also a period of reflection. Therefore, it is fitting that it is also the month in which we celebrate as South African Origins Month. My department has declared September African Origins Month, one in a series of months dedicated to specific science platforms.

South Africa has one of the richest fossil records in the world, which include dinosaurs, mammal-like reptiles and even humans. Indeed, the fossil evidence shows that the human species originated in Africa, and then populated the world from here. African Origins Month focuses on this remarkable palaeontological and archaeological heritage.

In September South Africa also celebrates Heritage Month, to afford each citizen the opportunity to reflect on what our collective heritage actually is. South Africa's heritage encompasses our history, values, norms and culture. Increasingly, South Africans are beginning to appreciate what we have inherited and what we are capable of as a collective.

South Africa has produced winners. The unique manner in which we do things is a key driver of our success as a nation. We continue to inspire the world about new ways of doing things, because our unique racial combinations create refreshing possibilities. This is a feature that gives us the edge. For example, it was definitely our creative ingenuity, collective approach, and our focus on transformation that ensured the success of our bid to host the FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010. South Africans always strive to achieve win-win solutions. The collaborative approach encapsulated by the DST–NRF Internship Programme also enables us to plan and achieve fresh and sustainable solutions.

Thank you.

Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
21 September 2006

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