South Africa’s controversial Technology and Innovation Agency has been dealt another blow in the national budget for 2014/2015 announced on 26 February.
Finance minister Pravin Gorhan announced that TIA’s budget will be slashed by R130 million (US$12m) over the next three years: R30m in 2014/2015 and R50m annually over the two subsequent financial years.
TIA and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research were singled out in the treasury’s overview of the Department of Science and Technology budget for “slower than expected spending”. The CSIR will receive R40m less over a three-year period.
Overall, the DST will receive R130m less in 2014/2015 and R140m less combined over the succeeding financial years, part of the Treasury’s general spending cuts.
The Square Kilometre Array – which will be the world’s biggest radio telescope – has been allocated a significant percentage of the DST’s funds. Over the next financial year, 23 additional antennae will be constructed as part of the MeerKAT radio telescope project, and a further four in 2016/2017.
A total of R1.4bn for a number of aspects related to MeerKAT has been allocated, including industrial partnerships, satellite research, nanotechnology and internships. A total of R2.1bn for the SKA and MeerKAT was earmarked for the next three years.
A sum of R683m was set out for research infrastructure such as cyber infrastructure, scientific equipment, specialised facilities, high-end infrastructure and global infrastructure.
Allocations to the National Research Foundation are expected to increase, which the treasury says will fund close to 15,000 postgraduate students per year by 2015/2016
Money injections for research infrastructure outlined by Gordhan include R159m for scientific equipment through the NRF, R105m for specialised facilities, R91m for national NRF facilities and R24m for high-end infrastructure for lithium battery development and a titanium plant.
The South African Research Chairs Initiative will receive R400m per year.
The Department of Higher Education and Training received an overall budget increase as well as a significant boost to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
Gordhan announced a delay in South Africa’s proposed carbon tax and increased government exploration of shale gas extraction in the Karoo province.