PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ARTS, CULTURE, SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY
 

SUB-COMMITTEE: SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY


Science and Technology can contribute to the transition period by shifting the population to come to have a consciousness that says each person contributes to Science and Technology and it touches the lives of everybody everyday. We need to ensure the following four points are addressed:
  • Meeting basic needs
  • Human resource development
  • Uplifting the economy and social development
  • Democratising science and technology

KEY PROJECTS

1998 the Year of Science and Technology:  

Cabinet has declared 1998 The Year of Science and Technology, at the initiative of the Portfolio Committee for Arts, Culture, Science and Technology. Whilst there will be other issues handled during 1998, the Portfolio Committee has put forward the following six points:

Audit of Science and Technology (S&T) in South Africa:

  • Audit of Indigenous Technologies
  • Projects to raise culture and consciousness of S&T
  • Capacity building for S&T teachers at primary school level.
  • S&T impact on productivity.
  • Campaigns to profile 1998 as the Year of S&T

Indigenous Technologies :

In discussing its five year mandate for the transformation of the nation and contributing to the democratisation of the country, the Portfolio Committee initiated the audit of indigenous technologies.

The pilot study exceeded the expectations of the organisers and has provided a good platform for more extensive programme design and further pilots. This process has also been informed by the need to protect the vested intellectual property rights of communities individuals, the strengthening of the relevance of research at tertiary institutions, linkage to provincial structures and governmental small business support initiatives and to the development of a sustainable approach to the management of information and data assembled with the assistance of the community partners.

Legislation:

  • National Council on Innovation Bill - passed on 16 September 1997.

This bill details how the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) is to be established. This council shall advise the Minister, Minister's Committee, and the Cabinet on the role and contribution of science, technology and innovation in promoting and achieving national objectives, namely to improve and sustain the quality of life of all South Africans, develop human resources for science and technology, build the economy, and strengthen international competitiveness. The amendments by the Portfolio Committee have focused around the inclusion of Indigenous Technologies.

  • National Research Foundation Bill - passed on 18 May 1998.

  • Report on activities by the Convenor.

Links to Science Councils and the Department:

ARC   Council for Geoscience   CSIR  
FRD   HSRC   Mintek  
MRC   SABS   DACST  

Convenor: Dr Wally Serote
Tel: (021) 403 2674 ; Fax: (021) 403 2070;
E-mail: parltech@mweb.co.za

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Last Updated on May 31, 1998 by
Henri Fortuin from the CSIR