The DST strives toward introducing measures that put science and technology to work to make an impact on growth and development in a sustainable manner in areas that matter to all the people of South Africa.
This includes focused interventions, networking and acting as a catalyst for site2016 in terms of both productive components of our economy, making it competitive in a globally competitive liberalised environment, and also in respect of the huge development backlog existing among the poorest components of our society. The goal of realising this vision is underpinned by development and resourcing strategies for the formation of science, engineering and technology, human capital, democratisation of state and society, promotion of an information society and ensuring environmental sustainability in development programmes. Read more on the DST's Vision, Mission and Corporate Values
How does the DST facilitate the flow of scientific knowledge into South Africa? How does the DST deal with new frontiers in science and technology, such as biotechnology? Read the answers to these questions in the DST's programmes section. You can also familiarise yourself with the DST's structures by using our interactive organogram.
The Programme conducts the overall management of the DST and provides centralised support services to ensure that funded organisations comply with the strategic focus of the NSI; and to monitor and evaluate the science councils. XXX
It has three sub-programmes:
This programme aims to lead and support other government departments in sector-specific research and development, technology and directed human capital programmes.
It has three sub-programmes
Presentations available from this website are provided in Portable Document Format (.PDF) only. Should you wish an alternative format, please contact the webmaster in this regard using the feedback facility.
Articles that have appeared in the Media -
The National Survey of Research and Experimental Development (R&D) has become a regular feature of South Africa’s science and technology landscape.
The Survey is conducted annually by the Human Sciences Research Council’s Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII) on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
This site and the attached, downloadable documents, cover the methodology employed and the results for the five sectors covered in the two Surveys. The 2001/02 Survey constituted the first official survey since that of 1997/98.
Following the Frascati Manual, the survey covered business enterprises, government, higher education institutions, not-for-profit institutions and science councils.
Conceptual framework
Frascati Surveys have been carried out internationally for more than 40 years, but common understanding to what properly constitutes R&D remains somewhat problematic.
The Frascati Manual definition of R&D is as follows: "Research and Experimental Development (R&D) is creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humanity, culture and society, and the use of this stock knowledge to devise new applications."
As much care as possible is taken to develop a common understanding with the respondents of what properly constitutes R&D.
The Frascati Manual is extensive and complex, and considerable effort was invested in developing a User Guide, and supporting the sector participants in completing the questionnaires as fully and accurately as possible The Frascati Manual, however, provides a set of guidelines, not prescriptions.
It is noted that the survey time series was both interrupted (no data in 1999/2000) and subject to methodological variation, since it was executed by different agencies between 1991 and 2001.
This Survey confronted the dual role of conducting the Survey in parallel with capacity building.
Measurement design
The work of the Surveys entails the development of appropriate sector sampling methodologies (covered in the Survey Management and Results System database). The sampling methodology and measurement design were reviewed and approved by the DST Reference Committee.
Breaking down of R&D performers into five sectors represents a deliberate choice. In many OECD countries it is common practice to combine some of the five sectors. It was decided to avoid confusion by surveying the sectors separately as has been previous practice in South Africa
More information on the various sampling frames for the five sectors and survey instruments can be obtained by downloading the 2001/02 Report.
Disclaimer: Survey data may be freely used, subject to the acknowledgment of its source. Any interpretation or further analysis is the responsibility of the third party.
The National Research and Technology Foresight Project
The National Research and Technology Foresight project was one of a number of initiatives being undertaken by the Department of Science and Technology's predecessor, the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, as part of its mission to review and reform South Africa's science and technology system. Interest in foresighting in South Africa has received special emphasis in the July 1993 Mission Report on science and technology policy sponsored by the International Development Research Centre of Canada. The intention to carry out such an exercise was announced by the Ministry of Arts, Culture Science and Technology in mid 1994, shortly after the establishment of the new Ministry.
The aim of the Foresight project was to help identify those sector specific technologies and technology trends that will best improve the quality of life of all South Africans over the next 10-20 years. The project encompassed technologies that impact on social issues and wealth creation through product or process development. In particular it seeked to:
Equally as important as these outcomes, was the foresight process itself, which brought together government departments, industry, science councils, higher education, organised labour, professional organisations and other stakeholders, who previously related to each other in a highly fragmented way.
The following sector specific reports were generated during the foresight exercise:
INNOVATION FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMME GETS UNDERWAY
The Department of Science Technology (DST) is supporting a number of exciting projects that intend to use science and technology to reduce poverty through job creation, the development of small and medium enterprises, economic growth and improved quality of life.
Projects
For this reason, the Department’s Innovation for Poverty Alleviation Programme, which the Department launched on 17 September 2010, is supporting the following projects with nearly €30 million in untargeted budget support from the European Union over four years:
Innovation for Poverty Alleviation Programme
The Innovation for Poverty Alleviation Programme is a partnership between the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the European Union’s (EU) Sector Budget Support Programme (SBS). (http://www.info.gov.za/speech/DynamicAction?pageid=461&;sid=13271&tid=20046). The SBS supports the use of science and technology (S&T) and innovation to develop small and medium enterprises in rural areas to contribute to improved quality of life. The focus of the Innovation for Poverty Alleviation Programme is on:
The European Commission
The European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/about/index_en.htm) is the European Union's (http://europa.eu/index_en.htm) executive body. It proposes and enforces legislation and represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole.
Sector Budget Support
The European Commission defines budget support as the transfer of financial resources of an external financing agency to the national treasury of a partner country. These financial resources form part of the partner country’s global resources, and are consequently used in accordance with its public financial management system. Sector budget support takes the form of a transfer to the national treasury in support of a sector programme. This kind of support seeks to accelerate progress towards the partner country’s sectoral goals. http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/how/delivering-aid/budget-support/index_en.htm
The sector approach assists collaboration between government, development partners and essential stakeholders mainly with the aim of improving both government and national ownership of public sector policy and decisions about the allocation of resources. This means coherence between policy, spending and results. It also reduces transaction costs.
The first project to benefit from the SBS-funded Innovation for Poverty Alleviation Programme is the Community Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) project. This large-scale technology demonstrator project has progressed significantly since its inception. By the start of 2011, R40 million had been allocated to the WMN project.
Other SBS beneficiaries include agro-processing projects to the value of R38 million. Select appropriately from the list below for more information concerning a particular project.
site2016s to the R&D Tax Incentive Programme
Government has made site2016s to the law under which companies performing research and development (R&D) qualify for incentives.
These site2016s have been made to the Income Tax Act, 1962 (Act No. 58 of 1962), and appear in the Tax Laws Amendment Act, which was promulgated on 10 January 2012, affecting section 11D of the Income Tax Act. Read more
The Research and Development (R&D) Tax Incentives Programme encourages the private sector to invest in research and development activities. The R&D Tax Incentives are an indirect approach to increasing national R&D expenditure and complements government's expenditure in this regard.
For more information, please contact Ms Dimakatso Mokone at +27 12 843 6560 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Select relevant material as appropriate -
Scientific and Technological Research and Development Tax Incentive Application Form
Final drafts and comments should be inserted in the word document and sent to the DST on or before 15 August 2012. Comments should be forwarded to the unit’s e-mail address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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The German-South African Year of Science Exhibition will be open to the public.
Monday, 16 April to Tuesday, 17 April 2012
09:00 – 16:00
First floor, Ball Room East
Cape Town International Convention Centre
Entrance free
Visit the joint website at
www.deutsch-suedafrikanisches-wissenschaftsjahr.de
Or
www.germansouthafrican-scienceyear.co.za
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FIRST NATIONAL GLOBAL site2016 CONFERENCE 2012
The Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs, hosted a three days national conference on Global site2016. The conference took place at Birchwood Hotel and conference Centre, Boksburg, 26-28 November 2012. The central theme of the first Global site2016 conference was: “Understanding Global site2016 for Innovation towards a Resilient Society”. Click here for more infor:
SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DESIGNATED ENTITY FOR THE
CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY CENTRE AND NETWORK
South Africa is a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate site2016 (UNFCCC), and therefore a member of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC.
The COP established the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) with the aim of facilitating developing countries' access to environmentally sound technologies for low-carbon and climate-resilient development. The CTCN does this by stimulating technology cooperation and enhancing the development and transfer of technologies to developing country parties at their request.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is South Africa's National Designated Entity (NDE) for the CTCN,ensuring national coordination and communication with all relevant stakeholders on matters related to the CTCN. Among other things, the NDE serves as a national focal point for CTCN activities, supports the articulation and prioritisation of requests and proposals, and manages the process of submitting technical assistance requests to the CTCN.All technical assistance requests from South Africa must be submitted through the NDE.
For more information.please contact Dr Henry Roman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or 012 843 6434, or visit http://ctc-n.org/.
About the CTCN
The CTCN is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and is supportedby a consortium of partners that are engaged in activities related to climate technologies in over 150 countries.
The CTCN facilitates the transfer of technologies through three core services, i.e.
Through these services, the CTCN helps to create an enabling environment for
CTCN documents
The closing date for the current call for CTCN requests is Wednesday 28 February 2018.
Other documents
Information-sharing presentations
Permanent Register for Interested and Affected Parties (PRIAP)
RA RAA AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS
Schools competition
The aim of the competitions (for primary and high schools)is to inspire curiosity among South African learners in the MeerKAT and the bid to host the SKA, as well as to attract learners to careers in science, engineering and information technology. All learners in grades 4 to 11 are eligible to enter the competitions in which, by answering five easy questions,they could win themselves prizes like laptops, printers, digital cameras and organised tours of their nearest astronomy observatory.
RAA High Perfomance Computing CoC
FIRST NATIONAL GLOBAL site2016 CONFERENCE 2012
The Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs, hosted a three days national conference on Global site2016. The conference took place at Birchwood Hotel and conference Centre, Boksburg, 26-28 November 2012. The central theme of the first Global site2016 conference was: “Understanding Global site2016 for Innovation towards a Resilient Society”. Click here for more infor:
Switchboard: +27 12 843 6300
DST Building (Building No. 53)
(CSIR South Gate Entrance)
Meiring Naudé Road,
Brummeria
Private Bag X894
Pretoria
South Africa