New Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor, recently appointed to the post for the second time, has committed her department to vigorously help in the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP). She was speaking at a media conference in Pretoria on Wednesday.

"Development without science is not really development," she affirmed. She noted that the NDP identified education, training and innovation as being at the heart of the country's long-term development. Pandor quoted the NDP: "Inadequate capacity will constrain knowledge production and innovation unless effectively addressed".

Two of the measures being taken by her department were the finalisation of the implementation plan for the Bioeconomy Strategy (a strategy which was unveiled earlier this year) and to finish the Human Capital Development for Research, Innovation and Scholarship Strategy and implementation plan. "Our [human capital development] plan cannot be business as usual," she asserted.

"We must persuade government [to create more knowledge workers]. We are going to be arguing quite strongly for more resources in this area." She pointed out that the re-elected African National Congress government had committed itself to increasing funding for research and innovation to 1.5% of the country's gross domestic product by 2019.

Responding to a question about developing significant numbers of new Black researchers in particular, she replied: "[I]f we are to get the numbers, we must increase the funding and the support. But I do think we have the possibility of upping the numbers."

In her prepared statement to the media, Pandor also highlighted the role on international cooperation. In particular, she cited the UK government's Newton programme to help develop research, development and innovation skills in selected countries. South Africa was one of these partner countries.

"We're very excited about the Newton project," she reported, pointing out that the UK had put aside a "significant amount of money" [£375-million] to fund it. She also cited cooperation with the other member countries of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) alignment. "I am extremely impressed by the initiative Brazil is taking with its international doctoral programmes and I think this is something South Africa should look at. "