Technology, Derek Hanekom, at the launch of the South African National
Nanotechnology Strategy
13 April 2006
To our host this morning, Dr Paul Jordaan of Mintek;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen;
It is a great pleasure and honour to be a part of todayâs celebration of
this milestone achievement and to officially launch South Africaâs National
Nanotechnology Strategy. As our country prepares for the âthird global
technology waveâ, this strategy provides the vessel and outboard motor -
towards ensuring that we are better equipped to successfully ride the
anticipated âcrestâ of nanotechnology.
In opening, I would like to thank all our strategic partners and the South
African Nanotechnology Initiative (SANI) in particular, who have been a driving
force in bringing all the relevant stakeholders and experts from the private
sector, academia, labour and government together, for the development of a
South African National Nanotechnology Strategy.
I would also like to thank Mintek, who, in demonstrating some of the actual
applications of nanotechnology here today, have already commenced with
enhancing public (and admittedly my own) understanding of this powerful little
giant that enables us to manipulate materials and particles that are about
1/80,000th of the diameter of a human hair! And that, as they say, is no small
feat!
Nanotechnology is profoundly impacting on our world today and is
internationally acclaimed as having the potential to provide greater efficiency
in energy use; help protect the environment by reducing waste and harmful
emissions and to solve major health problems.
Nanotechnology and the nanosciences are currently high on the international
research agenda. Governments in Europe, the United States of America (USA) and
Japan are currently spending over $600 million every year in this growing area
of scientific discovery. In fact, many governments, particularly in the
developed world, are of the view that this technology will now usher in a new
era of economic growth through enhanced innovation and increased
productivity.
For the developing world, according to a 2005 Report of the United Nations
(UN) Millennium Project Task Force on Science, Technology and Innovation:
âNanotechnology is likely to be particularly important because it involves
little labour, land or maintenance; it is highly productive and inexpensive and
it requires only modest amounts of materials and energyâ.
In line with this, the developing world has also seen increased public
spending on nanotechnology research and development. South Africa, India,
Brazil and China have all committed public resources towards the creation of
national nanotechnology infrastructure and research; and have sought
partnerships with industry stakeholders aimed at harnessing this technology for
enhanced economic growth and global competitiveness.
It is crucial, however, that increased global investments in nanotechnology
for the developing world in particular, are accompanied by measures aimed at
ensuring that the technology is harnessed in a manner that meets the
development needs of the poor.
Let us just briefly remind ourselves of the scale of the challenge:
According to the World Bank and World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates:
* 4.8 billion people in the world are poor;
* one-sixth of the worldâs population lacks access to safe water
supplies;
* more than 5 million people die each year due to water-borne diseases and
related illnesses; and,
* more than 2 billion people currently have no access to electricity that could
help to power rural clinics, pump water and cook food.
In addition, the gap between the developed and developing nations is still
increasing - as indicated in part by life expectancy estimates of 80 years (and
rising) in the developed world, compared with 40 years (and falling) in the
developing world. This is exacerbated by the scourge of HIV/AIDS and
insufficient infrastructure to ensure fast and effective drug delivery in many
parts of the developing world.
The effective application of Nanotechnology can contribute towards
eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; improved environmental sustainability,
as well as greater success in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other
diseases.
Is this all a dream? Is it not just the stuff of a new wave of science
fiction that has shifted focus to the potential power of very small things that
we canât actually see? No, this is for real; the Department of Science and
Technology scientists tell me and so does the Internet. Nanotechnology has the
potential to develop a range of applications to, for example, increase soil
fertility and crop production. It could provide rural villages with portable
systems that purify, detoxify and desalinate water through âintelligent
membranesâ. It can certainly provide solutions for improved drug delivery
through the development of biodegradable polymers that ensure sustained and
gradual release treatments. Furthermore, nanotech microbiocides could
substantially reduce the risk of HIV infection in women.
It is therefore the poor that stand to benefit most from existing and
emerging nanotechnologies, provided of course that public funding and policies
are aimed at effectively spreading these benefits in order to balance social
and economic development priorities.
In South Africa, research in nanotechnology has focused on applications for
social development as well as for industrial growth. To date, the countryâs
nanotechnology advances have already proven its potential to provide cleaner,
more efficient and renewable energy sources through the development of
inexpensive solar cells; the development of nanomembrane technology for water
purification to help reduce exposure to water-borne diseases such as cholera
and typhoid; as well as fuel cell development for powering the âhydrogen
economyâ and providing alternatives to non-renewable, fossil fuel
consumption.
Private sector interests and multi-sectoral partnerships in nanotechnology
applications throughout the country have also focused on advances in the
chemicals and fuel industries, energy and telecommunications, water, mining,
paints and paper manufacturing.
On the basis of South Africaâs achievements in nanotechnology thus far, we
therefore have the potential to become global pioneers for the further
development and application of this dynamic area of science and technology in
our own country and beyond.
For South Africa to maximise benefits derived from nanotechnology however,
the country must stay abreast of this fast developing field. This is being done
through the creation of an enabling policy environment aimed at developing and
nurturing the countryâs intellectual property regime and an active and
effective R&D and innovation process, where good ideas can be transformed
into economically and socially valuable products.
The South African National Nanotechnology Strategy that we are launching
today was approved by Cabinet towards the end of last year. It aims to ensure
that our country is ready to optimally use nanotechnology to enhance our global
competitiveness and to achieve our social development and economic growth
targets.
The Strategy articulates opportunities presented by this new wave of
technology as well as our intention to invest substantial amounts of funding in
the creation of infrastructure which will drive Nanotechnology development.
R450 million has already been allocated over the next three years.
It is the vision of the strategy âto draw upon existing strengths of the
national system of innovation while addressing the need to enhance its research
infrastructure and to create a workforce for advanced technology businesses
that support the countryâs future competitiveness and enhanced quality of
lifeâ.
In line with the objectives of the National Research and Development
Strategy, the key focal points of the National Nanotechnology Strategy address
the need to create opportunities for human capital development and the
development of research and development infrastructure.
The purpose of research is to generate new knowledge, which not only enables
us to better understand nature and our environment, including our interactions
with others but also enables us to better manipulate, use and manage the
environment to our advantage.
Research has become a global commodity and a powerful potential agent for
change. In a fast changing global economy, no institution or country can
survive unless it meets the demands set by the local and global community
through research.
In the South African academic and research spheres, it is therefore
important that collaborative networks are created in order to improve our
research capacity and address the inequalities between historically white and
historically black institutions.
Equally important is for South Africa to co-operate with the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) and the New Partnership for Africaâs
Development (NEPAD) respectively. These networks will also provide a valuable
link for our researchers with similar networks that have been established in
India, Brazil, Europe and the rest of the world.
The South African National Nanotechnology Strategy has now been launched and
is ready for roll-out. This roll-out will focus on four key focal areas,
1. The establishment of Characterisation Centres which are geographically
distributed and contain multi-user facilities to provide researchers with
advanced instruments for design, synthesis, characterisation, modelling and
fabrication;
2. The creation of Research and Innovation Networks that will serve to
enhance collaboration among traditional disciplines, research teams and
institutions;
3. Capacity building initiatives that are aimed at developing human capital
resources through channelling public and private sector investment towards
under- and post graduate research as well as encouraging collaborative R&D
in the nanosciences; and
4. A number of Flagship Projects that are aimed at demonstrating the
benefits of nanotechnology towards an enhanced quality of life and increased
economic growth. These will initially focus on water, energy, health, chemical
and bio-processing, mining and minerals as well as advanced manufacturing.
With the âcoming into effectâ of the Strategy, we need to however recognise
from the beginning that while government is committed to developing
Nanotechnology for South Africa and has committed public funds to this end, it
can only be done through meaningful and ongoing partnerships with our key
stakeholders in the national system of innovation.
These stakeholders include academia, research institutes and industry. In
order to maximise the use of our own intellectual property and to realise
business opportunities we must together seek to invest in technologies that
will enable us to commercialise our nanotechnology products in the global
arena.
It is therefore the Department of Science and Technologyâs intention that
all our Nanotechnology stakeholders will use this Strategy to assess their
business opportunities and to align their individual strategies for investment
in research and innovation.
Nanotechnology could become one of the priority areas for attracting
international investment in South Africa. As government we are determined to
give our local sector every opportunity to mature responsibly as an African
leader in Nanotechnology.
Government is therefore committed to creating the best possible climate -
regulatory, politically, and economically - for Nanotechnology investment and
this launch serves as a rallying call to industry to join us in developing a
sustainable nano-economy.
Nanotechnology already produces today what was, not so long ago, predicted
only in the context of science fiction. No longer submerged with the treasures
of Jules Verneâs â2000 Leagues Under the Seaâ, our advances in nanotech to date
enable us to confidently sail the high seas of technologically driven
development.
In the face of the huge challenges confronting humanity â poverty and
underdevelopment; global climate change; depletion of the energy sources we
have become so reliant on and the threat of new virus strains, we have no
choice: we have to apply the best of our science and technology in the search
for solutions. We have to predict rough seas and alter our course accordingly.
We must develop our collective capacity to intelligently harness the full
potential of this powerful technology of small things â so that we can achieve
big things!
Thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Science and Technology
13 April 2006
