SA Innovation Week: Gina calls for stronger R&D investment and skills development

2026-03-19 - 04:30

Deputy minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) Dr Nomalungelo Gina says innovation is the lifeblood of any forward-looking country and industrialisation. Gina delivered the opening address at the Inaugural SA Innovation Week 2026 in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 18 March. Innovation Week SA Innovation Week is a flagship initiative of the Technology Innovation Agency, an agency of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, under its Strategic Plan 2025 to 2030. It brings together the energy, talent, and capital of the innovation ecosystem into a single shared showcase, networking, and dialogue platform. ALSO READ: Smartphone prices set to spike amid memory shortages R&D Gina said Research and Development (R&D) remains underfunded, particularly from the private sector, limiting South Africa’s ability to develop and commercialise homegrown technologies. “Innovation is the lifeblood of any forward-looking country and industrialisation. It is common knowledge that all fast-growing economies are driven by strong investments in research and development (R&D) and a robust system for commercialising prototypes.” Hurdles “All countries that innovate rather than import technology solutions are the strongest,” Gina said. She stated that South Africa’s hurdles include agencies such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and that universities host many technology demonstrators as prototypes that have not been translated into the economy. “In other words, the private sector is not taking up these technologies, which are ready for diffusion into the economy. It is these innovation gaps that we seek to address through industry partnership engagements as the DSTI.” ALSO READ: Huawei debuts Watch GT Runner 2, Mate 80 Pro and other products Bridging the gap Gina added that to bridge this gap, the government is focusing on: Modernising traditional sectors by using technology to boost productivity in Agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. Focusing on the digital economy with attention to AI, data analytics, and the 4th industrial revolution to improve government service delivery and business competitiveness. And, Shifting towards sustainable, low-carbon industrial paths and better waste management, and the entire circular economy path. “To achieve the above ambitions, we have set up the Innovation Fund, which TIA administers to help de-risk early-stage technologies and attract private venture capital,” Gina said. Picture: DSTI Skills deficit Gina said another challenge the country faces is that the future economy, driven mainly by new technologies including AI, faces a skills deficit. “We have a skills mismatch as a country; more graduates are unemployed because they have skills that this gig economy doesn’t really need, yet we need to develop these skills and capabilities very quickly to be critical players in this emerging economy. “At the heart of our efforts is building the new pipeline of STEM-related professionals who will be key players in the new economy, including future innovators,” She said. Innovators Gina said innovation is happening everywhere in the country, not just in science centres, universities, and laboratories, but also in industries. “It is also in townships and rural communities, which will help us to coordinate holistically and leave no one behind in using our funding instruments to support innovation. “On our part, as the government, we are engaging with Telcos to address the digital divide between urban and rural areas and bridge the gap in innovation through connectivity,” Gina said. Gina encouraged young innovators to make the most of this week and network vigorously, saying that partnerships, not competition, are critical to developing prototypes. NOW READ: Report shows SA using AI more than most other countries