Department of Science and Innovation renamed to highlight focus on tech

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, has welcomed the renaming of the department as proclaimed in Government Gazette No. 51283 on 27 September 2024. The new name, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, follows the splitting of the Ministry of Higher, Science and Innovation into the Ministry of Higher Education and Training and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation under the seventh administration. 'The department's name has undergone several changes in the past years. In 2021, government renamed the Department of Science and Technology, making it the Department of Science and Innovation. This was to emphasise the need for the department to drive innovation through its work,' the department explained. However, the most recent name incorporates all the elements of the department's mandate to lead enhanced productivity, economic growth and societal development through science, technology and innovation (STI). 'Putting 'technology' back into the name is an acknowledgement of the role that technological advancements play in driving scientific progress, economic growth and societal development,' said the Minister. Meanwhile, the department said that it retains its strategic focus on promoting innovation through cutting-edge technologies, fostering a digitally empowered society, and enhancing South Africa's competitiveness on the global stage. 'Its priorities include climate change and environmental sustainability, human resource development, and addressing poverty and inequality.' Source: South African Government News Agency