Issued by: SA Communication Service
24 November 1997
BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ARTS, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MRS BRIGITTE MABANDLA, MP
An Agreement on Co-operation in the fields of Science and Technology, between South Africa and Hungary was signed on 24 November 1997 by the Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, Mrs Brigitte Mabandla and Mr Lajos Nyfri, President of the National Technical Development Commission of Hungary.
Members of the delegation visited the Medical Research Council in Cape Town, the National Accelerator Centre at Faure, the Universities of the Western Cape and Stellenbosch and the CSIR, the Foundation for Research Development, the Atomic Energy Corporation and the University of Pretoria. The aim of the visits was to meet South African scientists and discuss area for mutually beneficial co-operation. Areas provisionally identified for co-operation are Medical Sciences, Food Sciences, Physics and Chemistry.
The Agreement provides for the establishment of a Joint Board of Scientific and Technological co-operation to promote co-operation and to review the progress of such co-operation.
Deputy Minister Mabandla referred at the signing ceremony to Hungary's strong tradition with exceptional achievements in science and technology. She mentioned in particular Hungary's Nobel prize winners in Physics, Bio-chemistry, Medical Sciences and Mathematics. Hungary produced no fewer than twelve Nobel prize winners between 1905 and 1994.
For further information please call Mr Andile Xaba, Director: Communication at the Department of Arts, culture, Science and Technology on 012-314-6313