By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has officially launched the country’s inaugural National Science Month, marking a new chapter in efforts to strengthen public engagement with science, technology and innovation.
Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina delivered the keynote address at the launch held at the Vaal University of Technology on Saturday.
The launch comes just days after the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Blade Nzimande announced National Science Month as the department’s flagship science engagement programme. The event also coincided with the university’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
Gina said the transition from National Science Week, which has been implemented since 2000, reflects government’s recognition of the increasingly important role of science, technology and innovation in addressing complex global and national challenges.
“However, because science, technology and innovation are increasingly central to addressing the complex challenges facing our world today, we believe South Africa needs a broader and more sustained science engagement programme,” the Deputy Minister said.
Gina said South Africa’s investment in research and development remained low, at about 0.61% of gross domestic product, well below the National Development Plan target of 1.5%. She said this lagged far behind leading innovation economies, with South Korea investing more than 4.5% of GDP, Israel more than 5%, and the OECD average sitting at about 2.7%.
The launch was held under the theme: “Science, Technology and Innovation Are for Everyone.”
Gina said the theme was intended to show that science and innovation belonged to all people, regardless of ethnicity, class, gender, belief or location, and must serve society as a whole.
The launch included a science exhibition made up of 132 stands and more than 100 exhibitors, including universities, science councils and entities of the department such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the National Research Foundation, the Technology Innovation Agency and the South African National Space Agency.
“Create and harness new technologies to resolve societal challenges such as social inequality, social justice and ecological sustainability; promote informed decision-making and public access to scientific knowledge; and instill a culture of deliberate knowledge exchange between scientists and the public,” Gina said.
She said National Science Month would also be used to tell South Africa’s science story, including work in space science and astronomy through major projects such as the Square Kilometre Array and the Southern African Large Telescope.
During the event, the official National Science Month logo was also unveiled, while the baton for hosting the 2027 edition was symbolically handed over to North-West University.
Concluding her address, Gina urged all South Africans to champion science in their communities.
“Let us join hands in taking the message of science to every town and village in our country. Let us tell every community that science, technology and innovation are for everyone.”