The Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology will split into two separate entities, each headed by a director-general, but both will continue to fall within the portfolio of the incumbent minister, Ben Ngubane.
This was announced last night at the Technology Top 100 Awards ceremony at Gallagher Estate, north of Johannesburg.
Ngubane said this move came after president Thabo Mbeki`s July announcement of the division of the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology into two departments.
This decision to restructure the department will allow for a more focused approach in these areas, he said.
"We now have reached an important stage in our development as a nation, and we have also successfully elevated the technology debate to even higher levels in government."
Rob Adam will take over as director-general of the Department of Science and Technology and will be acting director of the new Department of Arts and Culture until the president makes a permanent appointment to that post. Adam was formerly director-general of the entire department.
The Department of Science and Technology commenced operations on 1 October 2002 as a separate entity under Adam and will continue to be a knowledge department committed to encouraging young people to follow science-related careers.
It will also work towards establishing new centres of excellence aimed at drawing young people towards careers in scientific research and to ensure that such careers are sustainable.
"We now have in place a strategy which will bring tangible benefits to the private and public sectors of our economy," said Ngubane. The strategy focuses on achieving mastery of technological change in the economy and society. "It is a strategy which puts some of the key issues for the future development of this country into perspective."
He said government understands that economic growth and wealth-creation are based on innovation, and that without the establishment of new technologies SA will not be able to advance towards the knowledge economy.
According to a statement, the private sector, research organisations, venture capital funds and universities will be mobilised to deliver innovation through technology.
In order to create an effective government science and delivery system, the new department will be responsible for a regulatory framework affecting all institutions with research and development as a primary mandate, whereas the line departments will set objectives and budgets for these institutions within this framework. In addition, the major crosscutting funding agencies for research and development and innovation will reside within the department, as will state-owned laboratories and research organisations with mandates that cut across the responsibilities of many line departments.
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