Johannesburg - Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor on Monday announced the board members of the newly established Technology Innovation Agency (TIA).
The board was approved by Cabinet in April and has already begun its work.
The agency is a new public entity aimed at stimulating and intensifying innovation and inventions in order to improve economic growth as well as enhance the quality of life of all South Africans. A total of R720 million has been allocated to the TIA to carry out its mandate.
The minister, who formally inaugurated the board on Monday, said the board would use South Africa's science and technology base to develop new industries, create sustainable jobs, and help diversify the economy away from commodity exports towards knowledge-based industries equipped to address modern global challenge.
"The task of the board is to develop sustainable development. The agency will have to alert South Africa to the possibilities and sanction popular support for creativity and inventiveness," she said.
She said through the establishment of the agency, many research projects which could previously not go ahead would receive assistance.
The TIA will be managed and controlled based on the provisions of the TIA Act, which was signed into law by former President Kgalema Motlanthe in December 2008.
Among other things, the agency, as part of its mandate, will build on existing capacity in institutions and initiatives such as the Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centres, the Innovation Fund, the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy implementation unit, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Advanced Minerals Initiative.
Dr Ramphele Mamphele, the former vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town and former Managing Director of the World Bank, will be the agency's Chairperson.
Members of the board include Cheryl Carolus, the chairperson of Peotona; Dr Steven Cornelius, the Executive Member of the South African Veterinary Council; Professor Susan Harrison, the current Chair of the board of the Cape Biotechnology Trust; Alan Lax, an expert in the legal and justice system, Dr Nhlanhla Msomi, President of the South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Also included in the board is Dr Patrick Nqwenya, Director of CKS investments Unisys Africa and former chairperson of the Nuclear Energy Corporation; Ross Norton, chairperson of South Africa Bioproducts; Craig Venter, Chief Executive Office at Altech; Helen Brow, the senior project manager at the Manufacturing Engineering and Related Sector Education Training Authority (MERSETA) who also sits on the board of the Tshumisano Trust.
