The Department of Science and Technology (DST) promotes science research across a wide spectrum of science and technology disciplines, from quantum physics to health sciences, and fields from nanotechnology to biotechnology.

During the past year government ramped up its bid to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

SKA is one of the great astronomy projects of the 21st century and it’s a project on which South Africans collaborate with scientists from many other countries.

South Africa is competing against Australia and New Zealand to host this groundbreaking radio telescope that will cost €1.5bn (R15bn) to build. Winning the SKA bid will consolidate Africa’s position as a world astronomy hub.

Specific attention has been given to nurturing the scientific strengths already built upon the back of South Africa’s geographical position – our skies, oceans, earth that contains the Cradle of Humankind – while developing new and emerging technologies necessary and critical for economic and social development.

The DST is working with the Department of Trade and Industry (the South African Renewable Energy Initiative) and the Department of Economic Development (IDC) to build solar, wind and wave industries – and most prominently in astronomy where the spin-off industries in IT have the potential to employ many science graduates.

During the last year African and global collaborations have expanded to 60 well-crafted international research and development partnerships. One example is BioFISA, a national and regional collaboration that includes 12 SADC member states, with a hub at the CSIR.

Despite significant achievements, the big challenge is on the human capital front. South Africa is not producing enough scientists and steps have been taken to boost university science.

The flagship programme, the SA Research Chairs Initiative, is being expanded – doubled from a R200m a year to a R400m a year programme – and strengthened, appealing to international scientists and South Africans in the diaspora.

It is critically important to invest in established researchers so as to assure South Africa’s international competitiveness in research and innovation, while also helping to solve some of the country’s problems in reducing the burden of disease such as HIV and TB.

Science and technology contributes to South Africa’s impressive standing in recent world rankings of innovation and competitiveness. In the Global Innovation Index South Africa came second to Mauritius in the sub-Saharan region.

In the Global Competitiveness Index the country led the sub-Saharan region, ranked 50th out of 142 countries in the world.

South Africa also ranks second out of the five BRICS countries.