Pretoria - Human development is key to building a sustainable platform for research, development and innovation, says Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor.
Delivering her department's Budget Vote on Tuesday, Pandor said investment in research is will ensure that the department enhances and expands excellence in universities, science councils and industry.
"We need thousands of talented and skilled researchers and technologists if we are to achieve the ambitious goals we have set for the sector," she said. .
Pandor's comments follow the Academy of Science for South Africa's (ASSAf), call for government to more than double the money it spends on research and development.
ASSAf, the official academy representing the country in the international community of science academies, said the country was not spending enough money on research and development to capitalise on its potential as a research centre.
Meanwhile, Pandor said South Africa's bid to host the world's largest radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array, was well underway and involves the construction of the telescope in phases.
"If we are chosen as the site country significant international funding will flow into South Africa and our partner countries on the continent," said Pandor.
Pandor also announced that the new Intellectual Property (IP) Rights from the Publicly Financed Research and Development Act, 2008, which will change ownership and treatment of academic work and research conducted in higher education institutions, is expected to come into effect in June.
The Act is an attempt by government to encourage the commercialisation and enhancement of intellectual property.
Previously, higher education institutions were not obliged to disclose IP emanating from publicly funded research, resulting in IP being developed overseas or not being commercialised. The Act will now compel researchers to fully disclose for the benefit of society.
The Act further provides for the establishment of the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIMPO), which will have a dedicated fund to finance intellectual property rights resulting from publicly financed research.
