While the Department of Science and Technology's (DST's) budget has been increased to R4.6 billion from R4.2 billion, there has been a rigorous pruning of most of its major programmes, says Democratic Alliance shadow deputy minister of science and technology Marian Shinn.
Shinn says the DST budget offers more questions than answers. “On the face of it - there is an increase in funding, which is to be welcomed in tough economic times. But much of that funding goes to SKA [the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope], its supporting infrastructure and research chairs. There is significant funding being invested in the Centre for High Performance Computing, which is essential infrastructure for our research community and SKA,” she says.
However, Shinn notes that over the medium-term expenditure framework three-year period, there seems to be a rigorous pruning in all of the department's programmes.
“One will need to be briefed by the department to understand which projects are being pruned/cut out, before making a fair assessment on whether this is a good budget in support of the DST's five grand challenges,” she says.
Of particular concern is the pruning of funds to the biotechnology strategy. One of the DST's aims is for SA to be a worldwide leader in this field by 2018. It will be difficult to achieve this if funds are too drastically reduced now.
Another concern is the cuts to the socioeconomic partnerships programme.
“I hope the cuts will not affect the social impact sub-programme, which gives policy and strategic support to smaller organisations and firms applying technology innovations for sustainable livelihoods; or the metals beneficiation and smart materials programmes, which have produced leading-edge product developments suitable for global markets.”
Shinn says the intent to use science and technology for social upliftment and job creation in rural areas has increasingly crept through into this budget statement.
There is mention of identifying “frontier technology interventions that support important labour-intensive sectors such as mining, agriculture and tourism”.
“One is curious about what these might be, particularly in the tourism field, which I don't recall popping up in presentations from the department.”
Shinn also questions why the DST is embarking on some projects, such as the department starting to explore ways “in which innovation can support sustainable development and social upliftment in rural areas”.
“Surely this is the responsibility of rural development and land reform? While I believe it is essential for the DST to regularly liaise with other government departments - including agriculture, forestry and fisheries; economic development, human settlements and water affairs - I do not believe that it should become involved in the delivery of technological solutions.”
Shinn accuses the ANC of using the DST's initiatives as an election ploy.
“This emphasis on rural development is an attempt to make science and technology relevant to the ANC's mass of rural voters in an election year. The DST should not jeopardise its long-term strategic goals for electoral quick-fixes that it cannot deliver. There is plenty of existing scientific endeavour available to address most current problems - what's lacking is the energy of various government departments to familiarise themselves with solutions that are readily available and implement upliftment programmes,” Shinn says.
A DST spokesman says science and technology minister Naledi Pandor will address all the issues about the department's budget in her budget vote speech, in April.
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