Keynote address by the Minister of science, Technology, and Innovation on the occasion of the launch of the 2025 Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators Report at the CSIR Convention Centre
Programme Director, Prof. Bavesh Kana;
Acting Director-General, Ms. Gugulethu Zwane;
Chairperson of the NACI Council, Mr. Tilson Manyoni and Members of the NACI Council;
CEO of the CSIR and our host, Dr. Thulani Dlamini;
Acting CEO of NACI, Ms. Anneline Morgan;
Heads of our Science and Academic Institutions;
Senior Government Officials;
Leaders of Business and Industry;
Esteemed Guest Speakers;
Distinguished Guests;
Members of the media;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am honored to speak to you today on the occasion of the formal launch of the 2025 Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators Report.
By way of context, our country’s 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology, and Innovation mandates our Department’s entity, the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), to monitor and evaluate the performance of our country’s National System of Innovation (NSI).
In fulfilment of this task, NACI produces the annual STI Indicators Report. This Report is one of the essential tools we use to diagnose the state of our National System of Innovation, and it provides us with an evidence-based picture of our country’s innovation system and in particular, the strengths and weaknesses of our system and of course, the areas that require urgent attention and action.
This Report is therefore not just a collection of statistics. It is an instrument to inform policy, guide investments and enhance the role of science, technology, and innovation as a catalyst for industrialisation and improved quality of life.
Given the implications of this Report for national priorities and the strategic direction of our country, last year, I tabled it in Cabinet, in order to inform Cabinet of its findings. I am pleased to say that it was approved by Cabinet.
This year, we are launching the STI Indicators Report under the theme “Bridging the Gap: Using STI Data to Drive South Africa's Economic Future". This theme signals that the STI indicators cannot remain abstract measurements. They must actively shape STI policy and most importantly, they must give substance to government’s mission to achieve inclusive economic growth for all.
Highlights of the 2025 Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators Report
I now wish to reflect on some of the key findings of the 2025 Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators Report. The Report presents us with a complex picture of a nation achieving bold milestones while confronting critical challenges.
In the area of higher education, our universities are becoming more representative and more capable. We have achieved gender parity among academic staff; female representation rose from 46% in 2010 to 52% in 2022. Black South African academic staff increased from 27% to 62% over the same period.
This matters because it stimulates a more diverse research community and ecosystem to address a wider range of research questions to address the country’s challenges.
The percentage of permanent staff holding PhDs increased from 35.7% in 2010 to 52.5% in 2022, more than half now hold the highest qualification in their fields. We are moving toward the national target of 75% for traditional universities by 2030.
Related to this, our research is becoming more competitive, influential, and globally connected. South Africa produced 25,775 scientific articles in 2023, ranking 29th globally and second in Africa behind Egypt.
South African publications consistently receive more citations than the global average, meaning the world is reading and building on the country’s knowledge production. This influence is strongest in health sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
In the area of venture capital investment, the value of venture capital investments nearly tripled from R1.1 billion in 2022 to R3.3 billion in 2023.
We are making meaningful strides in digital governance. Our E-Government Development Index improved from 0.74 in 2022 to 0.86 in 2024. We now rank 40th globally and second among BRICS nations, behind only China.
We are leading the rest of the African continent in digital connectivity. With 45.3 million internet users and a 74.7% internet penetration rate, we are leaders in digital connectivity on the continent.
Our manufacturing sector is contributing to employment. In 2023, formal manufacturing employment was 11% higher than in 2014.
We are making significant strides in agricultural innovation. Our plant breeders' rights applications surged from 263 in 2022 to 318 in 2023.
We are also making significant advances in health innovation. Investment in health research has more than doubled; from R4.7 billion in 2013/14 to R10 billion in 2022/23.
We are breaking new ground in the area of space. In 2023, we launched nine objects into space, and our universities are developing the skills and technologies that will underpin a future space industry.
Challenges
Notwithstanding the commendable progress I have just highlighted, the Report also draws our attention to the areas of weakness that require urgent attention and action.
Our global competitiveness is declining. According to the Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness, our ranking fell from 60th in 2024 to 64th in 2025. According to the Global Innovation Index, we dropped from 59th in 2023 to 69th in 2024.
Our Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is falling, declining from 0.76% in 2017/18 to 0.61% in 2022/23.
The investment of business in R&D remains weak, with contribution falling from 45.9% in 2013/14 to 35.4% in 2022/23.
Our patent registration is declining, with applications dropping from 36.3 per million population in 2022 to 18.6 in 2023.
We are importing more knowledge than we are exporting. In 2023, South Africa paid 1.6 billion US dollars for intellectual property while receiving only 167 million US dollars.
Our human resources are misaligned, with only 29% of graduates in STEM fields compared to 71% in other disciplines.
Our researchers are stretched thin due to growing postgraduate enrolment and an ageing workforce.
Our local innovation is failing, with municipalities scoring an average of 2 out of 5 on the Municipal Innovation Maturity Index.
Our manufacturing output is stagnant, with output still 5% lower than it was a decade ago.
In conclusion, the 2025 STI Indicators Report seeks to provide an account of the state of our NSI and guide the implementation of evidence-based policy interventions.
By launching this Report, we are not only inviting a critical conversation on its findings, but also calling for a collective effort to translate these findings into coherent and sustainable policy actions across key areas of national development.
It is now my honor and privilege to declare the 2025 STI Indicators Report officially launched. I wish you a productive session further and look forward to the outcome of your deliberations.
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