By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday, 07 October 2026, launched the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) FuturePHARMA facility in Tshwane.
Ramaphosa described the launch as a significant step towards strengthening South Africa’s pharmaceutical capabilities and advancing the country’s health sovereignty.
The President officiated the unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the CSIR Campus in Waterkloof before taking part in a guided walkthrough of the facility.
FuturePHARMA is an open-access pharmaceutical innovation and manufacturing facility that provides specialised infrastructure and expertise to researchers, innovators and industry partners working to develop pharmaceutical technologies, including active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
The facility is intended to help bridge the gap between laboratory research and the development, scale-up and commercialisation of pharmaceutical technologies, while supporting technology transfer and skills development.
The President said the facility reflects government’s commitment to using science, technology and innovation to strengthen the country’s industrial capabilities, health security and long-term development.
“The FuturePHARMA facility signals our resolve as South Africa to harness science, technology and innovation in pursuit of sustainable development. It signals our resolve to grow our industrial capabilities and to achieve meaningful health security and sovereignty, “he said.
CSIR Group Executive for Advanced Chemistry and Life Sciences, Dr Rachel Chikwamba, said South Africa remains heavily dependent on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), with about 98% of the APIs used to make medicines locally imported.
This, she said, leaves the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector vulnerable to external shocks, inflation in input costs and fluctuations in foreign exchange. She added that South Africa has strong capabilities in early stage research, but these capabilities weaken when innovations need to be translated into products that can be scaled safely and efficiently.
“The vision of Future Pharma is to close the gap. How can we ignite a thriving, inclusive local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry?” Chikwamba said.
The first phase of FuturePHARMA focused on building the translational capability needed to take research through product development and into clinical testing, while laying the foundation for increased local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
A second phase will focus on scaling these capabilities and developing strategic capacity to strengthen the healthcare system, meet day-to-day needs and improve preparedness for future pandemics.
For the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), FuturePHARMA represents an opportunity to strengthen the regulatory and manufacturing ecosystem supporting local production.
SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said local manufacturing is not simply an industrial objective but directly linked to access to medicines and health security.
“The COVID-19 pandemic … reminded us that countries and regions with limited manufacturing capacity can become vulnerable when global supply chains are disrupted,” she said.
SAHPRA has adopted a policy position aimed at enabling local manufacturing, while maintaining the required standards for quality, safety and therapeutic efficacy.
Under a policy published in 2025, SAHPRA supports locally manufactured health products through shorter evaluation timeframes and reduced assessment fees, while maintaining rigorous regulatory standards.
Semete-Makokotlela said the regulator intends to work closely with the CSIR, as FuturePHARMA develops the regulatory authorisation required for its operations.
“We were able to demonstrate this as we supported the mRNA [messenger ribonucleic acid] vaccine manufacturing platform. We are here today to communicate our intention to the CSIR that we will partner with you, we will support you, and there will be a moment where we will wear the hat of [the] police (sic), “Semete-Makokotlela said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative to South Africa, Dr Shenaaz El-Halabi, said FuturePHARMA can help to address a longstanding challenge of translating scientific discoveries into medicines that are available, safe, effective and affordable.
She said the facility also supports Africa’s broader ambition to take greater responsibility for its health security.
“For a patient waiting for treatment, scientific progress means a medicine that is available when needed, safe and effective and affordable.”
El-Halabi said dependence on external supplies can leave countries vulnerable when global production is disrupted or international demand increases sharply, as experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She highlighted the importance of partnerships between government, research institutions, industry, regulators, health services and international organisations in building sustainable local production.