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Launch of International Science Innovation and Technology Exhibition 2004

01-03 November 2004

I welcome the opportunity to officially launch the International Science, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (INSITE), which will run from 1 - 3 November 2004. The exhibition will showcase ideas, innovations, products, technologies, services and solutions that will drive South Africa and the rest of the world forward into the future. But the exhibition is more than just a showcase. Several important objectives underpin this ambitious initiative. Among others, we would like:

• To create an international marketplace for innovation, science and technology (IST) in the context of long-term sustainability
• To place a focus on IST solutions for the developing world
• To promote IST partnerships for global sustainable development
• To provide networking opportunities within the industry and
• To enable IST experts from across the globe to identify joint activities and initiatives.

INSITE is an integral part of South Africa's 10 years of democracy celebrations. Themed around 'Sustainable development, innovation, science and technology - the challenges ahead', the 3-day event is a local exhibition with global scope.

Science and technology is one of the most powerful tools available for sustainable development. Therefore, it is imperative for Government to assume a leading role in creating an environment in which innovations and advances in science and technology are systematically absorbed into the culture of our people. We have an obligation to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to facilitate the use of science and technology in the development of our country.

From a historical point of view, South Africa has gone a long way since 1994. When we first became a democracy, a large section of the population had little access to information about science and technology. There was a general absence of scientific literacy and awareness among Black people. The new government soon realised that if the problem was not addressed, it would limit the ability of disadvantaged groups to participate meaningfully in the country's transformation processes.

The White Paper on Science and Technology required the participation of all South Africans for the National System of Innovation to be successful. Hence, government was tasked to cultivate a society that understood and valued science, engineering and technology and their role in sustainable economic development.

This predicated the development of a science and technology system that would benefit the poorest and most disadvantaged members of our society. The challenge after 1994 was to build on the significant contributions to science that had been made, and to rejuvenate and broaden the demographic base of researchers in South Africa. At the same time, the focus of R&D had to shift from military to civil innovation, which underpinned the socio-economic needs of the country. An objective was to establish a system of funding and policy development that promoted more private sector involvement, encouraged competitiveness, and reversed the decline in expenditure on R&D, which had progressively, fell from 1, 04 % in 1991, 0, 75 % in 1993, until it reached 0, 69 % in 1997.

The transformation that has been taking place in the South African science and technology arena will take some time to stabilise, and the longer-term benefits expected are unlikely to manifest themselves for several years.

However in recent times, we have seen encouraging developments, such as the increased spending on R&D, which has risen again to 0, 76 % of GDP. But we still have a long way to go before we can reach our intermediate target of 1 % of GDP, which is a target many developing countries have committed to.

We are certainly mindful of the challenges and opportunities that are presenting themselves as we seek appropriate ways of maximising our scientific potential. That is why we are looking forward to seeing in November, exhibits that reflect applications of science and technology to areas relating to our socio-economic challenges such as poverty reduction, poverty-related diseases, food security, job creation and trade. I know these areas demand real and effective partnerships between all role players, including the public sector, industry, academia and civil society. Some countries, developed and developing, have developed best practices, particularly in the development and applications of ICT and biotechnology. We hope that experts in these areas will be participating in order to share ideas on innovative methods, and exchange information and experiences we could use to put our S&T system on a path to sustainable development.

We would like to reiterate our obligation and willingness to support and encourage the development of a strong scientific base in South Africa, from primary school level to graduate and post-graduate science and research programmes at institutions of higher learning locally and internationally, in order to provide fundamental building blocks for all other scientific activity. We have to ensure that the knowledge and skills generated by our education system are made relevant and available to address our needs.

We need to see in our society a pre-occupation with science from the primary school level, right up to university level. In that context, I see INSITE as a part of the overall thrust to creating greater awareness and acceptance of the role of science and technology in our society. I, therefore, urge you to participate in the forthcoming exhibitions, and support our fledgling democracy.

I thank you.