DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

JANUARY – DECEMBER 2005

DATE – 1 DECEMBER 2005

 

  1. Name of the Committee: Science and Technology

    2. Chairperson: Mr E N N Ngcobo

    Committee Secretary: Zelna Jansen

  2. Chairperson’s overview
    3.

    The Committee was able to work well together as a team. There was a great deal of transparency, efficiency and co-operation throughout. Discussions in the Committee were often robust, but frank and fair.

  3. Vision and mission of the committee
    4.

    The Mission of the Committee is to constantly perform a monitoring and oversight role by engaging the Department of Science and Technology and various stakeholders in their progress and development.

    The Vision of the Committee is to ensure real and sustainable improvement in the quality of lives of all South Africans by making science and technology the engine of socio-economic growth in our society.

  4. List of public entities over which the committee exercise oversight
    1. Number of meetings held and those cancelled
        • 20, None cancelled
      1. Legislation referred to the committee (Finalised and not finalised): indicate the following:-
          • No legislation was referred to the Committee
        1. Papers (International Agreements, Protocols, Reports etc) referred to the Committee: indicate the following:-

          2. (i) Statute of the Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned Movement and Other Developing Countries

            • Referral date

          -: 10 June 2005
              • Consideration date by the committee

          -: 21 June 2005

              • Report publication (ATC date)

          -: 23 June 2005
              • Debate in the House

          -: No Debate

          (ii) Accession of South Africa’s Membership of the International Centre for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI)
              • Date Committee was briefed

          -: 11 October 2005
              • Referral date

          -: 19 October 2005
              • Consideration date by the committee

          -: 19 October 2005
              • Report publication (ATC date)

          -: 8 November 2005
              • Debate in the House / Consideration of Request for Approval by Parliament

          -: 15 November 2005
          1. Oversight (Local) visits

            2. (i) Study Tour Visits to the Northern Cape Province, Eastern Cape Province

              • Objectives of the trip

            -: To visit and monitor the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Entities funded by the Department, including poverty alleviation projects.
                • Dates

            -: 1 – 5 August 2005
                • Delegation

            -: Mr. E N N Ngcobo (Chairperson) (ANC)

            Mr. A R Ainslie (ANC)

            Prof. I J Mohamed (ANC)

            Ms. F Mahomed (ANC)

            Mr. S N Nxumalo (ANC)

            Mr. J Ramrock (Committee Secretary)

                • Province, places visited

            -: Northern Cape Province and Eastern Cape Province

                • Report (when was it adopted by the committee)

            -: 15 November 2005
                • Debate in the House

            -: No Debate will be held

            (ii) Study Tour Visits to the Gauteng Provinces
                • Objectives of the trip

            -: To visit and monitor the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Entities funded by the Department, including poverty alleviation projects.
                • Dates

            -: 15 – 19 August 2005
                • Delegation

            -: Mr. E N N Ngcobo (Chairperson) (ANC)

            Mr. A R Ainslie (ANC)

            Prof. I J Mohamed (ANC)

            Ms. F Mahomed (ANC)

            Mr. S N Nxumalo (ANC)

            Mr. A Mlangeni (ANC)

            Mr. P Nefolovhodwe (AZAPO)

            Mr. B Mnyandu (DA)

            Mr. J Ramrock (Committee Secretary)

            Ms. N Borotho (Committee Assistant).
                • Province, places visited

            -: Gauteng Provinces
                • Report (when was it adopted by the committee)

            -: 15 November 2005

             
                • Debate in the House

            -: No Debate will be held
            1. International Visits:
                • Objectives of each trip (not more than a paragraph)

              -: Conference in Budapest on Science, Technology and Innovation Policy. Purpose of conference were to examine the role of Parliaments in Science, Technology and Innovation process as well as challenges and constraints faced in the context of increasing complexities in decision making and opportunities for science to contribute towards sustainable development.
                  • Dates

              -: 9, 10, 11 and 12 November 2005
                  • Delegation

              -: One Member, Mr J B Mnyandu (ANC)
                  • Country, places visited

              -: Budapest, Hungary
                  • Report (when was it adopted)

              -: Informal report in the form of Member briefing the Committee, during the first term. Date to be finalised by the Committee.
                  • Report publication (ATC date), if not published why?

              -: Briefing the Committee only
                  • Debate in the House

              -: Not applicable
              1. Budget Vote
                  • Referral date

                -: 27 January 2005
                    • Briefing by department (date)

                -: 14 June 2005
                    • Report publication (ATC date)

                -: 15 June 2005
                1. Annual reports of the Executive (30 September)
                    • Referral date

                  -: 20 October 2005
                      • Briefing by department (date)

                  -: 11 October 2005
                      • Report publication (ATC date)

                  -: 8 November 2005
                  1. Other committee activities (briefings on other issues, workshops, conferences)

                    2. (i) National Science Week / Launch of Centres of Excellence

                      • Date

                    -: 7 to 14 May 2005
                        • Agenda

                    -: To create awareness of the important role that science play in our daily lives.

                    -: To encourage our youth to consider studying and improving their performance in mathematics and science.

                    -: To attract more youth into science, engineering and technology careers.
                        • Hosted by

                    -: Department of Science and Technology
                        • Resolutions

                    -: None

                    (ii) Genetically Modified Organisms

                        • Date

                    -: 31 May 2005
                        • Agenda

                    -: BioPAD Presentation on Implementation of the National Biotechnology Strategy

                        • Presenters if any

                    -: Dr W Stanford of the Advanced Research Centre for Applied Microbiology at UWC

                    -: Mr G Ashton of Safe Age

                    -: Bishop Geoff Davies of Ecumenical Environmental Institute
                        • Resolutions

                    None

                     

                    (iii) Conference on "Human Resource for Knowledge Production in South Africa"
                        • Date

                    -: 23 to 24 June 2005
                        • Agenda

                    -: The Conference was directed at finding practical solutions to the problem of human resource development and knowledge production.
                        • Presenters if any

                    -: Professor De Le Ray of UCT

                    -: Dr R Adam- Director General, Department of Science and Technology

                    -: President of CSIR – India

                    -: Dr S Sibisi - President of CSIR – South Africa

                    -: Dr K Mokhele – CEO of NRF

                    -: Many other overseas experts
                        • Hosted by

                    -: Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Education

                        • Recommendations

                    -: Focus should be on recruitment and retention of masters, doctoral and post doctoral graduates to create a more flexible and responsive workforce able to achieve mastery of new domains of technology.

                    -: Promote collaboration and development of partnerships between universities, science councils and industry to maximise overall institutional research development capabilities to achieve a critical mass of researchers across institutions and to support the national Research and Development agenda.

                    -: Ensure that knowledge is optimised by focused attention to more strategic development of PhD graduates including the optimising, funding and managing of the environment in which students operate such as explicit development of research skills, development of better supervisor support and more appropriate funding for full time students.

                    -: Ensure the prioritisation of Research and Development is informed by national goals and imperatives.

                    -: Enhancing Research and Development funding.

                    -: Secure the most rapid and sustainable development of the continent and improvement of the quality of life of its people through political leadership at the highest level in order to prioritise the mainstreaming of science and technology through the African Union, NEPAD and multilateral programmes.

                    -: Globalisation of research.

                     

                    (iv) Youth into Science Strategy

                        • Date

                    -: 25 to 26 October 2005
                        • Agenda

                    -: To address some of the challenges identified by the Status of Youth Report 2005.

                        • Hosted by

                    -: Youth Division of Department of Science and Technology

                        • Keynote Speakers

                    -: Deputy Minister of the Ministry for Science and Technology

                    -: Chairperson: PC Science and Technology
                        • Recommendations

                    -: Provide an environment that is conducive to attracting majority of, especially previously disadvantaged youth, to enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers with ongoing support to establish themselves in the National System of Innovation.

                    -: Improve the identified shortcomings with a view to equipping youth with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will enable them to adapt, participate and succeed in an economically complex society.

                    -: To enhance science and technology literacy among the public in general and the youth in particular.

                    -: Nurturing youth talent and potential for science and technology based careers: To enrol a more representative youth with talent and potential into science and technology based careers.

                    (v) Awards Ceremony held by Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)

                        • Date

                    -: 28 October 2005
                        • Agenda

                    -: Awards Ceremony of ASSAf
                        • Hosted by

                    -: ASSAf
                        • Keynote Speaker

                    -: Minister of Science and Technology

                    -: Chairperson: P C for Science and Technology

                        • Recommendations

                    -: Stronger support of ASSAf activities by DST and provinces.

                     

                    (vi) Computer Science Model
                        • Date

                    -: 8 November 2005
                        • Agenda

                    -: Briefing on Computer Model on Easy Science
                        • Presenters if any

                    -: Professor Van Wyk of University of Pretoria

                    -: Ms P Moodley – Chairperson, Eskom Expo

                    -: Mr L Mphahlele – Manager: Science and Youth, Department of Science and Technology
                        • Recommendations

                    -: Stakeholders must work together to achieve common goal of making science attractive to students and the community.

                    (vii) Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)
                        • Date

                    -: 10 November 2005
                        • Agenda

                    -: Launch of SALT

                        • Hosted by

                    -: Department of Science and Technology

                    -: National Research Foundation
                        • Keynote Speakers

                    -: President Thabo Mbeki

                    -: Minister for Science and Technology, Mr Mangena

                    -: Portfolio Committee was represented by Chairperson
                        • Resolutions

                    -: None

                    (viii) Workshop on International Scientific and Technological Co-operation for Sustainable Development

                        • Date

                    -: 21 to 22 November 2005
                        • Agenda

                    -: The workshop was a follow-up on a report given by South Africa on the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in 2002.

                    -: To identify good practices in international science and technology co-operation, especially between OECD and developing countries, aiming at fostering capacity-building in science and technology; facilitating effective diffusion of scientific knowledge and technology transfer; and, developing knowledge infrastructure and networks, in order to meet sustainable development objectives at national and global levels. Such good practices include highlighting concrete and efficient solutions that have been implemented in the areas of water and energy.

                        • Hosted by

                    -: Department of Science and Technology and OECD
                        • Resolutions

                    -: None

                     
                    1. Budget of the committee
                        • How much was allocated to the committee

                      -: R470 008,00
                          • Expenditure:

                      Catering - R 18 512,90

                      Provincial Visits R269 233,80

                      Overseas Trips R 48 830,00

                      Conferences R0

                      Seminars

                      Workshops R0

                          • Balance R 79 701,20

                      1. Outstanding Matters:

                      -: Adoption of Annual Report of Committee

                      -: Adoption of Minutes of 15 November 2005

                      1. Attach the following documents

                          1. Master attendance list

                          2. Copies of minutes of all meetings

                          3. Copies of the reports of all oversight\international visits

                          4. Copy of Budget statement

                         

                      2. SUPPORT STAFF

                      Committee Secretary: Ms Z Jansen

                      Control Committee Secretary: Mr A Mamabolo

                      Committee Assistant: Ms N Borotho

                      Secretary to Chairperson: Mrs B Walters

                      Researcher (Research Unit): None

                       

                       

                       

                       

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