Vice Chancellor, Professor Loyiso Nongxa
Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research: Professor Helen Laburn
Members of the Senior Executive team
Leader of the research team, Professor Lee Berger and colleagues
Media
Ladies and gentlemen
I wish to extend my gratitude to the University of the Witwatersrand for giving me this opportunity to stand here today to open this illustrious gathering for the announcement of these new extraordinary fossils. The University of the Witwatersrand has been active in researching human origins and for over 80 years.
Most of you here today may remember that the first ever South African hominid fossil announcement was made in 1924, when Professor Raymond Dart announced the discovery of Australopithecus africanus, or the Taung Skull, from Taung in the North West.
This was only the first of many such discoveries in South Africa and the African continent, which would later shape the story of human origins as we know it today. The discovery of the Taung skull drew the world's attention and opened the academic community's eyes to the fact that Africa is most likely the cradle of humankind.
The idea that humankind developed in Africa was not accepted very readily by the scientific community at the time, but the crucial thing is that the message was communicated to the public. Irrespective of the reaction that such discoveries might arouse, the message needs to be relayed to the public so that people can be given an opportunity to engage with palaeosciences by increasing their own understanding.
Today we celebrate the announcement of yet another significant discovery, which has resonated around the world. It is highly important to our understanding of our origins.
I would like to commend the research team lead by Professor Berger for their commitment and resilience in researching the story of our human ancestors and the environment in which they lived. A team consisting of no less than 50 scientists from South Africa, other parts of Africa and countries beyond the borders of our continent, was involved in these discoveries.
Professor Berger, I see that you have numerous local casting technicians, fossil hunters and lab assistants. It is the Department of Science and Technology’s sincere hope that universities, museums and science councils will groom many young South African scientists to continue the work undertaken by the likes of Professors Lee Berger and Paul Dirks.
Therefore, Professor Berger, my challenge to you today is to groom a minimum of one individual to become a researcher of your calibre. It would give me great pleasure if I could one day return here and congratulate one of your former students or technicians on an equally important discovery.
We understand that the discovery of Karabo and his community was the result of years, and even decades, of hard work and dedication to the subject matter. I would also like to commend these researchers, not only for braving the winter days and nights camping on the research sites, but also for their bravery in pushing back the frontiers of knowledge and research, utilising currently available technological implements and knowledge to enhance their study.
Professor Berger and his team not only announced a new discovery, but they challenged contemporary notions of the origins of our species. They challenged their colleagues to think laterally, not only about our species' origins, but also about the methods which can be used to reach those conclusions.
I remember when they first announced the discovery of Australopithecus sediba in April 2010, and Professor Berger enthusiastically showed a digital image of a specimen. Although it was still partially encased in breccia, we were able to see what the skull looked like behind the covering.
This is the kind of research that scientists in this country should aim for. Less destructive methods of extraction, using international, multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary collaborations are what we aim for in the palaeosciences.
These are some of the objectives outlined in our South African strategy for palaeosciences, which some of you here today helped conceptualise. The strategy will be gazetted in a few days, so we ask that you all take a look at it and help us to shape it into a document those talks to the requirements of the palaeosciences.
I want to congratulate the team involved in this discovery, the Institute of Human Evolution and the University of the Witwatersrand for the hard work resulting in this ground breaking find, and I hope that we will see many more such discoveries and much research of this stature in the future.
Thank you.
Speech by the Deputy Minister Derek Hanekom, at the announcement of new specimens and new anatomical findings linked to Australopithecus Sediba
