Programme Director
Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor
Honourable MEC, Sakhumzi Somyo
President of IASP
Local Government Leadership
CSIR Group Executive: Strategic Alliances and Communication, Dr.Rachel Chikwamba
Chairman of Dimension Data, Dr.Andile Ngcaba
Our gracious host, CEO ELIDZ, Mr.Simphiwe Kondlo
Industry role players
Innovators, Scientists and Thinkers
Ladies and Gentlemen

Firstly, let me during this Month of Women, which is also the 30th anniversary of the "Year of Women" salute mama Charlotte Maxeke, the first Black woman to obtain a BSc. degree, at a time when very few people of any population group could. A pioneer and an innovator in her own right, she refused to allow adversity to define her place in society.

Secondly, indulge me Programme Director, to salute one of our own, Dr.Andile Ngcaba, who has earned many stripes including his appointment in July 2014 to the National Advisory Council on Innovation, a body established to advise our Minister of Science and Technology on inputs  around innovation. Sithi, ukwanda kwaliwangumthakathi!

We hope that this son of East London will during his tenure ensure that we bring science closer to the people by opening more and more Science and Innovation Parks across the length and breadth of our country, but most importantly in our province.

Programme Director,

From the earliest times, the advancement of Science and Technology has consistently produced advances in human history as well as economic development. Regrettably, in today's world, these advances are still not shared evenly and equitably. Africa though is awakening and leaping forward with the agility of a cheetah as it catches up and leads in huge strides.

We live in exciting times. Take our country, South Africa for instance. Not only are we making progress on the MeerKAT radio telescope project, but the good story to tell is that this brings us closer to the realization of our dream of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which we are told is the largest and most sensitive radio telescope ever constructed.

We are happy to note too, Programme Director, that as part of strengthening bilateral relations with the sisterly people of our Namibia, our country is assisting Windhoek's bid to host the Cherenov Telescope Array (CTA), which will be the world's biggest gamma ray observatory.

We know Programme Director, a science teacher, a mathematician, a pioneer and innovator in his own right, Cde O.R. Tambo would be proud of the work our country is doing in the region.

Programme Director,

in another interesting development in June this year, Fibreco Telecommunications, the fibre optic network operator behind the multi-billion rollout of South Africa's largest long distance open access fibre optic network arrived in Nelson Mandela Bay to interview potential candidates for its internationally accredited Fibre Optic Training Programme.

The commitment of the company during Youth Month to "open the doors of learning and culture" by bringing science and innovation closer to the people as a developmental tool needs to be emulated in our developmental trajectory as we embark vigorously on a massive skills blaze.

Our government is pleased too that the company has completed half of the first phase of the project lighting up over 2, 400 km of fibre optic baling which links Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and East London thus connecting far-flung rural municipalities in the process.

We hope that the Twerley streetlight to be showcased today, which uses solar and wind to power a streetlight with a capability of providing Wi- Fi services to rural communities will make it affordable for those communities to access the Internet.

Programme Director,

Our forebears at the AU not so long as in 2007 declared 2007 as the "Year of Scientific Innovation". Linked to this, was the need for the establishment of a single Pan-African Intellectual property Organization, to protect indigenous innovations.

Perhaps, the question to ask, is what is it that we ought to do as the Political and business leadership of our province working together with scientists, innovators and our institutions of higher learning to ensure that we use science to better the cause of humanity?

Perhaps, contrary to the ugly past we inherited, we should be able to provide hope and tell our young people we need not use science to harm, but to heal and prosper the Nation.

So, the question begs to be asked if we are doing enough to bring our Youth and learners to the sciences?

Programme Director,

we have moved a long way from 2004 when we first had the Ministry of Science and Technology. We have moved a long way too, when in 2004, a 15 year old from Phillipi in Cape Town, uNomathemba Kontyo, won a prize for an essay she wrote on Space in a competition set up by NASA.

It would be interesting to learn 10 years later, where is the 25 year old Nomathemba Kontyo today?

Programme Director,

The opening of a Science and Technology Park is an occasion for celebration and reflection. It is about breaking barriers and exploiting new frontiers in the knowledge economy battlefield.

The various offerings at this Science and Technology Park add on a list of advances the province can proudly count under its wing. The lab facilities, training platforms as well as incubator services are also utilized for research commissioned by Government.

We also welcome the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) - funded by the CSIR Consulting and Analytical Services (CAS) Laboratory facilities  - the first chemical and microbiological laboratory of its kind in the Eastern Cape which is fully accredited by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS). The laboratory, we are told, is staffed by highly competent technicians specializing in microbiological analysis of environmental, food and beverage samples.

The research from this lab should assist our soy farmers, our bean farmers and many more to improve their products as well as support our agro-processing ambitions with the amici payed Wild Coast and Chris Hani SEZ's.

Programme Director,

We derive more joy too that one of the prototypes that will be showcased today, the Heatraider is likely to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of cooling units and industries.

As industries turn green due to the impact of climate change, we believe that these product offerings developed and still to be developed at this Park fit well with the posture we have adopted, to position the Eastern Cape as the new energy hub for the country. We are already the lead province in wind energy and are set to benefit from our country's diversification in  both nuclear energy and shale gas.

Programme Director,

Today, is about new beginnings. It brings me immense pleasure to learn that the first Open Innovation Platform in the Eastern Cape called Connect and Solve, which links innovators in direct contact with over 2 million global innovation role players will be featured in this park.

We hope that the Pan-African Intellectual Property Organization mooted at the AU in 2007 will protect their innovations from exploitative practices.

In closing Programme Director,

When we spoke of the need to act with a sense of urgency, by forging strong partnerships whilst ensuring accountability, we were talking about acting in unison with one common purpose of ensuring that South Africa and our province weans itself of the spatial planning disabilities of the past.

The role of innovation in economic and social development of the Eastern Cape cannot be over- emphasized. It is urgent and pressing.

Service delivery and economic development fuelled by science, technology and innovation have to go hand in hand.

We have a responsibility to create an enabling environment for innovators, investors and scientists to thrive.

Sustaining the industrial development trajectory which was informed from a provincial policy perspective on the Industrial Development Strategy requires that we increase innovation co- ordination and alignment.

The Regional Innovation Forums must address the needs of innovators, scientists, industry and our people.

Collaborations with FET Colleges and the various SETAs need our critical intervention.

If we agree that innovation is seen as a "catalyst for industrial and economic development” through the creation of both demand and supply side mechanisms, we need to work in partnerships with all the partners and role players.

Programme Director,

Our presence here today bears testimony to our commitment of creating a knowledge based economy that will advance the developmental trajectory.

When we said on 27 June 2014, that as a Government elected by the overwhelming majority, we have an obligation to respond to their challenges in a realistic and practical manner, this is what we meant.

I am pleased that the East London IDZs are growing investment ventures such as these beyond the automotive sector. It is indicative that new technologies and skills unveiled today will take us to a higher advanced level of innovation.

This in turn, will surely ensure further beneficiation of our local resources.

I thank you!