Pandor wants more for science
2012-03-27 22:15
Pretoria - The southern African region should spend more on science and technology, Science Minister Naledi Pandor said on Tuesday.
"We need to become active innovators, productive researchers and be supportive industrial partners to the private sectors and to the service sectors in our countries," she said.
Pandor was speaking at the fourth joint committee meeting between South Africa and Angola at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria.
She and a delegation led by her Angolan counterpart Maria Teixeira discussed plans to improve science and technology in both countries.
"Angola and South Africa are doing much more in technology and science," said Pandor.
"I'm also hopeful that we will be an example to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU)."
She said the region was an area of possible growth on the continent and that South Africa and Angola had to ensure that both SADC and the AU were doing more to show support for the industry.
"I don't think our organisations realise the importance and the significance that science can bring to our people," she said.
Pandor said both countries had to work towards becoming competitive participants in the global community of researchers and innovators.
- SAPA
