This week: chair appointed at South Africa’s science oversight committee, and new Kenyan education minister

In depth: South Africa’s science department has said it will channel funds from its “existing budget for international cooperation” to support Palestine in rebuilding its science capacity and infrastructure.

Full story: Science minister Blade Nzimande says “existing budget” will fund joint research, despite domestic austerity

Also this week from Research Professional News

Scientists hail ‘tremendous progress’ in cutting HIV cases—New infections in Africa are down but more work is needed, says HIV researcher

Here is the rest of the Africa news this week…

South Africa’s science oversight committee finally elects chair

The parliamentary committee overseeing South Africa’s Department of Science  and Innovation has elected the African National Congress’s Tsakani Shiviti as its chairperson. Her appointment was confirmed on 17 July, but most other parliamentary committees had already elected chairpersons a week earlier and had heard departmental plans for the next financial year. While some members expressed frustration at the delays and confusion that blocked the work of the committee, science minister Blade Nzimande congratulated Shiviti and welcomed “constructive criticism” from the committee.

New education minister in Kenya

After sacking his cabinet following deadly protests against an unpopular tax bill, Kenyan president William Ruto announced a “new broad-based cabinet” with Julius Migosi Ogamba at the helm of education. On 19 July, Ruto said a “wider range of ideas, programmes and interventions are needed” for the government to turn Kenya’s economy around.

Geospatial data useful for health and state planning in Nigeria

Geospatial data analysts from the Data Science Nigeria (DSNai) network presented case studies on data-driven urban planning during the Geopalooza summit held in Kenya this week. The experts showed, for example, how mobility data can inform vaccine logistics and how satellite imagery can be used for environmental monitoring. The meeting, which was the fourth of its kind organised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, also discussed “enhancing in-country geospatial capacity”, according to a DSNai post on X, formerly Twitter.

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New infections in Africa are down but more work is needed, says HIV researcher

Scientists from countries including South Africa, Uganda and Botswana have presented their latest findings on the search for an HIV cure as part of a conference held in Munich, Germany.

Presentations at the 25th International Aids Conference on 23 July covered immune responses in individuals on long-term treatment, novel targets for an HIV cure and how HIV affects the tonsils of adults and children. 

‘Investment pays off’

“This was a wonderful session highlighting HIV cure research work of early career researchers in Africa, usually under difficult circumstances,” said HIV researcher Thumbi Ndung’u in a post on the social media site X. 

Ndung’u serves as the director of the Sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence, which hosted the session and is a programme of the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa.

The research presented shows that “investment in science in Africa pays off”, Ndung’u said, but he told Research Professional News that while there has been “tremendous progress” in reducing the numbers of new infections in Africa, new innovations towards cure strategies are still in their infancy.

HIV prevalence survey

South Africa’s deputy health minister Joe Phaahla led a delegation of scientists, activists and government officials to the conference, according to a report from the South African Government News Agency. This year’s conference, which runs until 26 July, “offers a platform to address persistent challenges which impact negatively on countries’ overall HIV response”, the agency wrote.

It also wrote that South Africa’s Human Sciences Research Council would present its latest data on HIV prevalence, incidence and behaviour.

“The presentation will encompass key behavioural indicators, HIV incidence and HIV drug resistance,” said the HSRC on 24 July, adding that the data would be made publicly available and would inform strategies to address South Africa’s HIV epidemic.

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Science minister Blade Nzimande says “existing budget” will fund joint research, despite domestic austerity

South Africa’s science department has said it will channel funds from its “existing budget for international cooperation” to support Palestine in rebuilding its science capacity and infrastructure.

Blade Nzimande, minister for the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), made the announcement on 23 July during a parliamentary debate on his department’s budget priorities. 

In February the treasury said it would slash South Africa’s science budget by 3 billion rand (US$163 million) over the next three years to rein in public spending.

‘Human solidarity’

While Nzimande agreed with MPs from coalition partners and opposition parties that the treasury had not allocated enough funds to his department, he said existing funds will be used for the Palestinian research collaboration to foster “human solidarity” and “social justice”.

He said the programme, carried out by the National Research Foundation, will include joint research projects, hosting Palestinian scholars and students in South Africa, and sharing South Africa’s science policy experience.

“One of the serious dangers with the genocide in Palestine is that [it] can actually wipe out a whole civilisation… so we would like to cooperate in the area of science with the Palestinians,” said Nzimande.

He also outlined other domestic priorities for his department, including vaccine manufacturing, green hydrogen, minerals beneficiation, astrotourism and “producing a critical mass of young, black and women scientists and researchers”.

Reduced budget criticised

While members of the coalition government largely supported the priorities presented by Nzimande, several opposition and coalition MPs condemned the department’s reduced budget.

“More money should be allocated to the department to accelerate the process of addressing the persistent challenges associated with underdevelopment, such as structural unemployment, inequality and poverty,” said the African National Congress’s Lufefe Mkutu, who also serves on the parliamentary committee overseeing the DSTI.

Wynand Boshoff, a member of the Freedom Front Plus coalition party and the oversight committee, also warned that the impact of budget cuts on science would only become clear in the long term. Nzimande agreed that science is underfunded because effects are not immediate.

Budget objections

Opposition parties rejected the budget citing, for example, government indecisiveness, failures to meet global innovation standards, and a lack of focus on research into medicines and traditional healing.

In June, president Cyril Ramaphosa formed a coalition government after the ANC lost its absolute parliamentary majority in the country’s 29 May election. He retained Nzimande as science minister.

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This week: climate resilience, new board members for South Africa’s research funder, science budget showdown

In depth: South African MPs raised concerns about student finances and university infrastructure during a debate on the Department of Higher Education’s budget for 2024-25, presented by minister Nobuhle Nkabane.

Climate resilience in South Africa ‘urgent’

While the science of climate change is complex, South Africa can become resilient if the risks and urgency are appreciated, president Cyril Ramaphosa said on 15 July. Speaking at a climate symposium organised by the National Treasury, he said climate change is as much an “economic issue as it is a scientific, social justice, human rights and development issue”. Stormy weather caused widespread destruction in the Western Cape province last week, illustrating South Africa’s “extreme vulnerability” to climate change, Ramaphosa said.

New board for South African research funder

South Africa’s National Research Foundation announced on 12 July that science minister Blade Nzimande has appointed three new members to its board. New members Mathetha Mokonyama, Mavuso Shabalala and Funeka Khumalo “bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise from various areas, such as engineering and technical procurement, human resources and people management, and the business sector”, the NRF said in a statement.

Nzimande to present science budget after split with higher ed

Blade Nzimande, South Africa’s minister of science and innovation, will present his department’s budget to parliament on 18 July. Speaking to local news agency Newzroom Afrika on 17 July, Nzimande said the presidential PhD programme and other joint research projects between his department and the higher education department, which he jointly led in the previous administration, must not be “abandoned”. He committed to industry partnerships and leveraging new climate funding to make up for budget cuts, saying the R9.5 billion (US$523 million) allocated for the 2024-25 financial year is “not sufficient”.

The post Africa news roundup: 12-18 July appeared first on Research Professional News.

Stop “parachute” science while boosting communication and investment, researchers urge

Africans must improve community engagement and forge equitable science partnerships with the Global North in order to benefit from genetic research into living and ancient human populations on the continent, according to an expert group.

“The bottom line is that to create the type of equitable and inclusive research landscape we envision, we must invest in entire societies and next-generation scholars,” said Kendra Sirak, a genetics researcher at Harvard University, in a July 11 post on social network X, formerly Twitter.

In a commentary published in the American Journal of Human Genetics on the same day, Sirak and other geneticists, anthropologists, archaeologists, museum curators and educators outlined “landmarks” to achieve a more equitable population genetics and ancient DNA “research ecosystem” in Africa within the next 10 years.

Fueling research demand

While Africa’s rich biological and cultural heritage and genetic diversity is fueling research demand internationally, the authors argue that African researchers remain “starkly” underrepresented and face barriers including visa requirements, a lack of costly infrastructure, and unstable political situations.

The authors’ ‘landmarks’ include better communication with communities that could benefit from DNA-based population research but are hesitant to participate due to colonial legacies.

“In time, these [communication] efforts may become encoded in policy and legislation that re-centre and protect communal interests, traditional knowledge and cultural expressions that are directly or indirectly related to genetic resources,” the authors write.

Funding inequalities

They also recommend addressing the funding inequalities and “power and resource imbalances” that result in extractive research, as well as in the exclusion of African researchers.

“While there have been examples of strong partnerships between Global North and Global South scholars, scientific research has also included significant ‘parachute’ or ‘helicopter’ research reflecting differential contributions of resources, personnel and skillsets that led to imbalanced relationships,” they write.

Sirak said their recommendations to address barriers for African researchers represent “points of consensus” reached by experts during the DNAirobi meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, during 2023. According to the commentary, the event was attended by about 100 people, 80 per cent of whom were based in Africa.

The group’s vision for an ideal “research ecosystem” within a decade includes seeing more African principal investigators and lead authors on publications, and a global research culture that respects African “community values, norms, and religious and cultural practices”.

The post Experts outline ‘landmarks’ for Africa’s DNA research appeared first on Research Professional News.

South African MPs also raised concerns of financial aid mismanagement during budget debate

South African MPs raised concerns about student finances and university infrastructure during a debate on the Department of Higher Education’s budget for 2024-25, presented by minister Nobuhle Nkabane.

Nkabane, the new minister of higher education, said on 16 July that her department’s budget is R137.5 billion (US$7.6bn), of which R91.7bn is specifically allocated for university education.

While she committed to “root out corruption and maladministration” within the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, several MPs criticised the failure of the department to deal with payout problems and widespread reports of mismanagement and corruption that surfaced during former higher education minister Blade Nzimande’s tenure in the last administration.

“We have also listened to the silent prayers of our parents for the Department of Higher Education and Training to resolve current student funding and payment challenges,” said Nkabane, adding that fixing NSFAS is a matter of “moral responsibility”.

‘Decentralising NSFAS payments’

Meanwhile, Nkabane’s deputy, Mimmy Gondwe, suggested decentralising NSFAS payments “to those institutions of learning with administrative capacity to manage and administer this funding”.

“The challenges in the higher education sector are many, I’ll not lie to you,” said Gondwe, “but I can assure you that this ministerial leadership team is equal to the task.”

The leadership of the higher education portfolio reflects President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new coalition government, formed after the African National Congress lost their parliamentary majority at the polls in May. Gondwe is from the Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in parliament, while her fellow deputy, Buti Manamela, as well as Nkabane, are from the ANC.

Endorsing the budget

The ANC’s Tebogo Letsie, chair of parliament’s higher education oversight committee, said his party will “wholeheartedly endorse” Nkabane’s budget but expressed concern about infrastructure grant cuts.

The DA’s Letta Maseko agreed, saying that rural universities in particular faced water and energy challenges, leading to campus shutdowns. “Alternative energy solutions and boreholes must be supported by infrastructure grants,” she said.

Meanwhile, Nkabane also confirmed that a national skills fund contributed R1bn towards a “presidential seed fund” that will support doctoral and postdoctoral skills development and research.

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Letsie has prior experience of the brief but has never served as committee chair

African National Congress MP Tebogo Letsie has been chosen to chair South Africa’s parliamentary portfolio committee on higher education.

Letsie, who was elected to the role on 10 July, has no prior experience as a committee chair, but was an active member of the previous parliament’s oversight committee for higher education, science and innovation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa split the higher education and science portfolios in June to accommodate coalition partners after his party, the African National Congress (ANC), lost its absolute parliamentary majority in the country’s 29 May election.

Reflecting that split, there are now two committees, although the science and innovation committee had not yet elected a chairperson by the time this article was published.

Active member

Letsie is one of only six MPs who served on the higher education, science and innovation committee in the last parliament to retain their seats. Previous chair Nompendulo Mkhatshwa lost her seat.

According to parliamentary watchdog People’s Assembly, Letsie has attended 80 to 90 per cent of committee meetings since 2019. His participation is recorded in several reports, including questions around the ongoing National Student Financial Aid Scheme crisis.

NSFAS has been mired in payout problems and widespread reports of mismanagement and corruption that surfaced during higher education, science and innovation minister Blade Nzimande’s tenure in the last administration.

Other committees

Nzimande is now the minister of science, technology and innovation. The minister of higher education is Nobuhle Nkabane. Both are from the ANC.

ANC MPs have also been elected to chair committees overseeing the agriculture and health portfolios, to which the Agricultural Research Council and the South African Medical Research Council report. The two committees will be chaired by the ANC’s Sibongiseni Dhlomo and Dina Pule respectively.

Leon Basson of the Democratic Alliance, the second biggest party in parliament and a member of Ramaphosa’s coalition government, will chair the oversight committee on water and sanitation, which is tied to the Water Research Commission.

The post ANC’s Tebogo Letsie to chair higher education committee appeared first on Research Professional News.

Mosa Moshabela will assume leadership of top South African research university in August

University of Cape Town’s incoming vice-chancellor, Mosa Moshabela (pictured), will start on 1 August, two months earlier than planned, the university said this week.

“I am pleased to confirm that Professor Moshabela is available to take up the appointment earlier than 1 October 2024,” said UCT council chair Norman Arendse in a statement on 8 July.

He added that Daya Reddy, who has served as interim vice-chancellor since the departure of Mamokgethi Phakeng in March 2023, would stay on to support Moshabela on a part-time basis “for a period of time that is to be determined”.

“UCT owes Professor Reddy a debt of gratitude for taking on the responsibilities of vice-chancellor at a very challenging time for our institution, and making a significant leadership contribution when it was most needed,” said Arendse.

Challenging times

Phakeng left under a cloud after accusations that she lied to the university’s council about the reasons a senior executive departed during her tenure.

At the time of her exit, Phakeng denied any wrongdoing. But an investigation led by a retired judge later found she had misled the council, and also that her abrasive management style had led to several leaders at the university leaving their posts.

Late last year, Arendse apologised on behalf of the council for failing to act earlier regarding governance issues at the institution.

Senior appointments

A number of vacancies remain at the university’s executive level. These include the chief operating officer post, as well as a deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation, and for teaching and learning.

This week, interim vice-chancellor Reddy said the recruitment process for a chief operating officer has yet to be initiated, and that the term of the interim incumbent, Mughtar Parker, has been extended until the end of this year. 

The selection committee and job description for appointing a deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation have been approved by council and the position will be advertised “in due course”, he said. The interim incumbent in this role is Jeff Murugan.

The appointment of a deputy vice-chancellor of teaching and learning is at the shortlisting stage, Reddy added. Linda Ronnie, who has been in the post since July last year in an acting capacity, has had her appointment extended to the end of the year. 

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History of exploitation creates unique considerations for studies on the continent, ethicists argue

Brain research data from Africa needs to be safeguarded amid a global rise in technologies that target the brain, ethicists based in South Africa and the United States have said. 

Such so-called neurotechnologies include technologies that treat or prevent brain disease or mental illness, as well as consumer-oriented technologies to track or enhance brain function.

In their commentary in the May/June issue of the South African Journal of Science, the ethicists argue that African researchers, study participants and communities must be protected from exploitation and must also benefit from brain research.

Olivia Matshabane, corresponding author on the commentary and a neuroethics researcher at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, says consumer neurotechnology companies have previously collected brain data without consent, violating privacy rights.

“In Africa, there have been past experiences of African people’s health data being collected, analysed and reported in ways that go against a community’s cultural values and beliefs,” she told Research Professional News.

“This is something that should be cautioned against and prevented from re-occurring in the realm of new and emerging neurotechnologies,” she said.

Special considerations

While neurotechnologies may ease the burden of neurological, psychiatric and substance-use disorders in underserved communities, Matshabane says their development and use should align with “African people’s values, principles and priorities”.

She and her fellow authors say that special ethical considerations apply in Africa. For example, when conducting neuroscience research on children, scientists should consider that many African children are vulnerable to disruptions in healthy brain development due to increased exposure to risk factors such as poverty, trauma, alcohol and HIV.

Furthermore, some neuroscientific interventions used to prevent or treat brain disease or mental illness in other parts of the world may not work or be accepted in Africa due to cultural reasons or local contexts, they write.

Global input

According to the commentary authors, neuroethicists within Africa are in a unique position to focus their attention on how African values and priorities can inform the development of contextually appropriate interventions.

They add that African people and scientists should be included in global neuroethics discussions early on, for a more “robust and nuanced debate”, and call on academics, policymakers and others to develop local guidelines for neurotechnologies that reflect African contexts.

Matshabane says Unesco has convened a group of 24 “experts from diverse backgrounds” to make global recommendations around neurotechnologies.

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Programme trained over 400 scientists in one year, created genome centre and central databank

More than 400 African biodiversity and agricultural scientists in genomics and bioinformatics have taken part in a training programme that launched last year.

The programme, called the African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP), aims to build capacity to generate, analyse and deploy genomics data for use in farming and conservation contexts.

A statement released by the University of Cape Town on 8 July, to coincide with the publication of an article in Nature Genetics highlighting the project, says AfricaBP held 28 workshops in 11 African countries in the course of last year.

According to UCT spokesperson Velisile Bukula, the workshops led to “exciting and transformative outcomes”, including the new African Genome Center in Morocco and the African Digital Sequence information databank for biodiversity and agriculture.

“These workshops attracted over 3,700 registered participants, with 408 scientists receiving hands-on training in molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics and the ethical, legal and social issues associated with acquiring genetic resources,” Bukula said.

“The 400+ scientists trained are now part of a community of practice-supporting efforts to address biodiversity challenges in Africa,” added AfricaBP co-founder Appolinaire Djikeng, director-general of the Kenya-based International Livestock Research Institute.

“Our resilience in food systems relies on leveraging our rich biodiversity, and AfricaBP is at the forefront of this endeavour,” he added.

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This week: an anonymous donation, Canada-Morocco partnerships, and a new electromagnetics lab

In depth: Brain research data from Africa needs to be safeguarded amid a global rise in technologies that target the brain, ethicists based in South Africa and the United States have said.

Full story: ‘Urgent need’ to review African brain research ethics

Also this week from Research Professional News

South Africa hoists first SKA dish into place—“Significant moment” for project as huge radio telescope begins to take shape

New UCT vice-chancellor to start earlier than planned—Mosa Moshabela will assume leadership of top South African research university in August

ANC’s Tebogo Letsie to chair higher education committee—Letsie has prior experience of the brief but has never served as committee chair

Here is the rest of the Africa news this week…

Stellenbosch welcomes anonymous donation

Stellenbosch University in South Africa has received R50 million from an anonymous donor who bequeathed the sum in their last will and testament. The money is earmarked for bursaries that will support financially disadvantaged students in theology or music. The university expects to be able to award bursaries from 2025, it said in a statement on 8 July.

Canadian and Moroccan universities partner up

The University of Manitoba in Canada has signed research partnership agreements with four Moroccan universities. The tie-ups target shared priorities in green energy and sustainable agriculture. “These agreements represent a commitment to the development of mutually beneficial academic programmes, knowledge exchange, and the coordination of faculty and student mobility for research and teaching purposes,” Manitoba said in a statement on 8 July.

Rhodes opens electromagnetics lab

Rhodes University in Makhanda, South Africa, opened a new electromagnetics innovation laboratory last week. The lab is backed by several organisations, including the National Research Foundation, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and Stellenbosch University. It will study the electromagnetic compatibility of new technologies such as mobile internet, drones and artificial intelligence, Rhodes University said in a statement.

The post Africa news roundup: 5-11 July appeared first on Research Professional News.

“Significant moment” for project as huge radio telescope begins to take shape

The Square Kilometre Array Observatory has hoisted the first collection dish of its vast radio telescope into position in South Africa’s Karoo semi-desert.

The 15 metre-wide dish was lifted into place on Thursday last week, the SKAO announced on 9 July.

It is the first of four that will be erected on site for testing before full dish production commences. SKA-Mid, as the African part of the telescope is called, will in time consist of 197 dishes.

“The first of anything is always the most challenging, and we have learnt a huge amount from a logistical and technical perspective from this first dish,” said SKA-Mid senior project manager Ben Lewis in a statement.

He added that “full speed” construction of SKA-Mid would commence “later in 2025”.

Construction progress

Meanwhile, construction of the SKA-Low telescope array in Australia is “progressing rapidly”, the SKAO said.

“The progress this year across the observatory has been amazing, and seeing the first SKA-Mid dish being erected is a significant moment, as we head towards the first stage of telescope delivery,” SKAO acting director of programmes Luca Stringhetti said in the statement.

More than 1,000 of SKA-Low’s 2 metre-tall antennae have been assembled and installed at its site in Western Australia, with more than 131,000 set to be built in total.

SKA-Mid in Africa and SKA-Low in Australia will collect data at different radio frequencies, providing complementary astronomy datasets.

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This week: Ntusi takes up post, Steenhuisen welcomed and Gray wins Oppenheimer award

In depth: When South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced he would split the ministerial portfolio of higher education, science and innovation in two when unveiling his cabinet on 30 June, many wondered: why that one?

Full story: Analysis: Science and HE offered Ramaphosa an ‘easy split’

Also this week from Research Professional News

Ramaphosa splits HE and science again ‘to make room for coalition’—Cabinet newcomer Nobuhle Nkabane given higher education portfolio, while Blade Nzimande keeps science

Who is South Africa’s new higher education minister?—University sector welcomes appointment of cabinet newcomer Nobuhle Nkabane

Costly and slow lab procurement ‘undermines’ African research—Slashed import duties, joint bargaining and direct purchasing could address problems identified by survey

Here is the rest of the Africa news this week…

New SAMRC president takes up post

Ntobeko Ntusi took up his post as president of the South African Medical Research Council on 1 July, succeeding Glenda Gray who has spent 10 years in the role. Ntusi, a cardiologist, moves to the council after heading up medicine at the University of Cape Town. “[Ntusi’s] extensive experience, expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we advance health research and improve health outcomes for all South Africans,” said Johnny Mahlangu, SAMRC chair, in a statement.

ARC welcomes Steenhuisen as minister

South Africa’s Agricultural Research Council has welcomed the appointment of Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen to serve as minister of agriculture in the country’s newly minted Government of National Unity. “The ARC council, management and all employees eagerly anticipate collaborating with minister Steenhuisen to promote sustainable agricultural practices, provide robust support for smallholder farmers, and bolster efforts towards enhancing food security and ensuring access to nutritious food across South Africa,” it said in a 1 July statement. Until last month’s election Steenhuisen served as the leader of the opposition in parliament.

Stellenbosch immunologist wins Oppenheimer award

Clive Gray, an immunologist who studies how the HIV status of mothers can affect their children’s health, has won the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award. The award comes with a R2.5 million research grant. “We need to know how diseases such as HIV in pregnant women interferes with the growth of the placenta and how this, in turn, impacts adverse birth outcomes and disrupts maternal health,” Gray said in a statement. “These adverse outcomes have a devastating effect on South African society, where impaired child and maternal health is linked with deprived early childhood development.”

AAS gives dates for general assembly

The African Academy of Sciences will hold its 15th general assembly and scientific conference from 8 -11 December in Abuja, Nigeria. The event will be held under the theme ‘empowering and advancing Africa’s scientific enterprise’. For more information, email aasga2024team@aassciences.africa.

The post Africa news roundup: 28 June to 4 July appeared first on Research Professional News.

South Africa's two ministerial briefs, separate until five years ago, were married in name only

When South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced he would split the ministerial portfolio of higher education, science and innovation in two when unveiling his cabinet on 30 June, many wondered: why that one?

The likely answers? Because he needed more ministers, because the portfolio was divided already, and because there were problems in the portfolio that a split could solve. 

Cabinet expansion

Ramaphosa (pictured) prefaced his much-anticipated speech at the Union Buildings in Pretoria by saying he’d had to expand his cabinet to accommodate partners in his new coalition government. He admitted that this reneged on an earlier promise to shrink the government to save money.

“In the course of the sixth democratic administration, we indicated our intention to reduce the number of portfolios in the national executive. However, due to the need to ensure that the national executive is inclusive of all the parties to the Government of National Unity, this has not been possible,” Ramaphosa said.

He went on to name three portfolios that he was splitting: agriculture from land reform and rural development, justice and constitutional development from correctional services, and higher education from science, technology and innovation.

Ramaphosa’s reasoning maps easily onto the first two. Three of the four ministerial posts generated by those splits have been given to people outside Ramaphosa’s own party, the African National Congress. The Democratic Alliance’s John Steenhuisen is the minister of agriculture, while the minister for land reform and rural development is Mzwanele Nyhontso from the Pan Africanist Congress. Justice and constitutional development minister Thembi Nkadimeng is from the ANC, while the minister of correctional services is Pieter Groenewald, leader of Freedom Front Plus.

Problematic portfolio

But the same rationale doesn’t quite work for the third portfolio Ramaphosa split. Both the higher education minister, Nobuhle Nkabane, and science, technology and innovation minister Blade Nzimande, who led the merged portfolio in the last administration, are from the ANC—although one of Nkabane’s two deputies is from the DA. 

Another reason to split science and higher education can be found in the second excuse Ramaphosa gave for reorganising his cabinet portfolios. He said: “In some instances, we have considered it necessary to separate certain portfolios to ensure that there is sufficient focus on key issues.”

The turmoil surrounding the National Student Financial Aid Scheme in recent years proved a major challenge for Nzimande’s leadership when he headed up the merged portfolios. Over the last year, Nzimande himself was implicated in allegations of corruption surrounding the fund, with many—notably the DA, which now governs in partnership with the ANC—calling for his removal. Nzimande has denied wrongdoing.

By splitting higher education from science and technology, Ramaphosa has been able to keep Nzimande, an ally, in a familiar portfolio while removing him from a policy area where he appeared compromised.

The move also creates some continuity for the science department, whose long-serving and popular director-general, Phil Mjarwa, retired earlier this year. His acting successor, Daan du Toit, is a deft hand with a long history in the portfolio, but is not certain to keep that job long-term.

An easy split

All that said, a third reason for the split is that it presented an uncomplicated divorce. The previous departments of science and technology and higher education and training never truly merged.

Despite intentions to streamline processes early on in their marriage, the pair kept their budgets and reporting structures separate. They never built a joint website, and email addresses and URLs have stayed the same as before the merge.

Faced with a need to create new ministerial and deputy minister posts for his new coalition partners, Ramaphosa may simply have picked a low-hanging fruit in the higher education and science ministry.

And opposition would have been limited. Most of the people working in the ministry—barring Nzimande perhaps, whose brief has significantly shrunk—are likely to welcome the split. Their union was only ever skin-deep anyway.

The post Analysis: Science and HE offered Ramaphosa an ‘easy split’ appeared first on Research Professional News.

Slashed import duties, joint bargaining and direct purchasing could address problems identified by survey

African researchers procuring lab supplies and equipment often spend more on shipping fees than on products and have to wait up to six months for delivery, a survey of 130 researchers across 20 African countries has shown.

The survey findings were shared in a 2 July commentary published in Nature magazine by representatives from the Nairobi-based Science for Africa Foundation, Kenyan biomedical consultancy Lablogics and the University of Birmingham in the UK.

Indirect access to manufacturers, inefficient institutional support for research and poor logistics infrastructure were the key problems identified by the survey. Life science research budgets are particularly strained by the high costs associated with transporting fragile or hazardous supplies across the continent, the commentary states.

“When combined with government-imposed import duties, these logistical hurdles can lead to shipping fees that cost more than the actual supplies,” the authors write, adding that purchasing in foreign currencies with fluctuating exchange rates exacerbates the problem.

Long delays

Researchers in Africa commonly have to wait three to six months to get supplies delivered due to logistical delays and a lack of infrastructure, the commentary authors write.

“These challenges to obtain basic consumables and equipment—including chemicals, cell-culture reagents, molecular biology reagents, diagnostic kits, glassware, thermocyclers and incubators—undermine efforts to train and retain researchers in Africa, and to cultivate self-reliant research ecosystems that can match the global pace of innovation,” they write.

Slow procurement processes also hamper local responses to health challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, and delay scientific results that could secure further health funding, the authors add. They urge manufacturers to allow direct procurement from African researchers at competitive prices, and to review their African distribution networks.

“African governments should also provide import tax exemptions on scientific supplies for education and research purposes, as is the norm in countries such as the United Kingdom and others in the European Union,” they write.

Furthermore, institutions in the same African region that share interests can negotiate joint purchasing agreements, the authors add. This will allow them to negotiate better prices, share lessons, and reduce shipping and customs costs. Better policies and skilled staff to handle procurement will also help African institutions.

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University sector welcomes appointment of cabinet newcomer Nobuhle Nkabane

Nobuhle Nkabane has been appointed minister for higher education in the ‘government of national unity’ cabinet announced by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Nkabane, a member of the African National Congress, takes over from Blade Nzimande, who has been given the science and innovation portfolio. Higher education, science and innovation were one portfolio in the previous government, but Ramaphosa announced on 30 June that he was splitting them to make room for political partners in his coalition government and to “focus on key issues”.

This is a first cabinet job for Nkabane, who served as deputy to energy and mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe in the last administration. Unlike Mantashe, who has been criticised for appearing to resist renewable energy reform, Nkabane has mostly kept a low profile.

As a 44-year-old woman, Nkabane could be said to exemplify Ramaphosa’s promise to balance his cabinet appointments to reflect the diversity of the nation in terms of gender, age and demographics. She holds numerous higher education qualifications, including a PhD in public administration from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, which she obtained in 2019, the same year she became an MP for the first time.

Nkabane’s doctoral thesis focused on revenue management in water and sanitation in local government. At the time of obtaining her PhD, she said: “My research into the challenges associated with service delivery will enable me to contribute to turning the tide by applying some of the knowledge from my academic research in my day-to-day work.”

UKZN’s Thokozani Ian Nzimakwe, who supervised Nkabane for her PhD, describes her as an inquisitive, independent and self-disciplined student. “Her analytical abilities, coupled with her meticulous approach to research, consistently impressed me and my colleagues,” he told Research Professional News.

‘Academic trailblazer’

Nkabane’s youth and qualifications have sparked positive reactions from within the higher education sector. In a post on LinkedIn, University of Cape Town health sciences lecturer Nontsikelelo Mapukata said the South African Association of PhDs wished Nkabane well, describing her as a “remarkable servant of the people and an academic trailblazer”.

Several people took to social media to appeal to Nkabane to rescue the country’s National Student Financial Aid Scheme, which has been mired in payout problems and widespread reports of mismanagement and corruption that surfaced during the tenure of her predecessor Nzimande. Julia Mtsweni, deputy president of the South African Students Congress, urged Nkabane to “fix” the scheme in a post on X on 30 June.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal posted its congratulations on 1 July. On X, the university wrote that it “proudly celebrates” her appointment. “We look forward to witnessing the impactful changes under your stewardship,” it said.

Nkabane will be supported by two deputies: fellow African National Congress member Buti Manamela, who served as Nzimande’s deputy in the last administration, and fellow young, female newcomer Mimmy Gondwe from the Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in parliament and in the coalition government.

Additional reporting by Linda Nordling

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Cabinet newcomer Nobuhle Nkabane given higher education portfolio, while Blade Nzimande keeps science

South Africa has separate ministers for science and higher education once more, after president Cyril Ramaphosa announced his long-awaited coalition cabinet late on Sunday 30 July.

The announcement at the Union Buildings in Pretoria follows weeks of tense coalition negotiations after Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC) lost its absolute parliamentary majority in the country’s 29 May election.

Long-serving higher education minister Blade Nzimande (pictured, right) stays in charge of science, technology and innovation—a brief he headed after the higher education and science departments were merged in 2019 in an attempt to rein in government spending.

The much larger (in terms of budget) higher education portfolio has been given to cabinet newcomer Nobuhle Nkabane (pictured, left), who has served as deputy minister of energy and mineral resources since 2021.

Coalition nation

Ramaphosa’s appointments have been widely criticised for reneging on his promise, made earlier this year, to reduce the size of South Africa’s bloated executive. His cabinet has grown from 30 to 32 ministers, and there are 43 deputy ministers after several departments got two.

The additional appointments were necessary “due to the need to ensure that the National Executive is inclusive of all the parties to the Government of National Unity”, he said in his late-night televised address.

But balancing the coalition was not the only reason to split some ministries, Ramaphosa added. “In some instances, we have considered it necessary to separate certain portfolios to ensure that there is sufficient focus on key issues.”

While Nzimande and Nkabane both hail from the ANC, one of Nkabane’s deputies comes from the Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s second-largest party in parliament, which has six ministers and six deputy posts in the coalition.

Nkabane will be supported by two deputies: Nzimande’s former deputy Buti Manamela, from the ANC, and Mimmy Gondwe from the DA. Gondwe has held several shadow deputy ministerial roles, including for public enterprises, state security and public service and administration. 

Nzimande just has one deputy, Nomalungelo Gina, also from the ANC. She was deputy minister of trade and industry in the last government.

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This week: a bioinformatics training boost and a Germany-South Africa public engagement exchange

In depth: The Agricultural Research Council in South Africa says it is “deeply concerned” about illegal occupation on land that it owns.

Full story: Land invasions endanger research farms in South Africa

Also this week from Research Professional News

US$2bn boost for African health products manufacturing—Head of Africa’s disease control body says deal will make continent more self-reliant

Stellenbosch deliberates fate of ‘racist’ student residence—University mulls closure of accommodation block where white supremacy symbols were found this year

Here is the rest of the Africa news this week…

Public engagement exchange with Germany

The Museum for Natural History in Berlin, Germany, has launched a “public engagement exchange” that will involve 40 researchers from Germany and South Africa deepening their public engagement skills. The programme is being run in collaboration with Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology. According to the museum, the initiative “will strengthen the impact of research and public engagement in and between Germany and South Africa by fostering skills, leadership and innovation in engagement practice”.

Fogarty grant to bolster African bioinformatics

Researchers at Stellenbosch University in South Africa have won a grant worth 28 million rand (US$1.5m) from the Fogarty International Center in the US to bolster bioinformatics training in Africa. The grant will support the African Tuberculosis Bioinformatics Training Programme, which will be co-led by the university’s Marlo Möller and Samantha Sampson. “The training programme will address the dearth of trained bioinformaticians with expertise in TB and other infectious diseases,” Möller said on 26 June.

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But party unlikely to receive all ministerial roles it requested in South African governing coalition

The Democratic Alliance party has asked that it be given the higher education, science and innovation ministerial portfolio in South Africa’s fledgling ‘government of national unity’.

The DA’s request came in a leaked wish list addressed to the African National Congress, dated 23 June.

Ten political parties have now indicated their intention to join the unity government after the country’s election on 29 May, in which the ANC secured just 40.18 per cent of the vote, putting an end to its 30-year majority reign.

With 21.81 per cent of the vote, the DA is the second-largest party in the coalition and therefore a major player in the negotiations for cabinet positions.

A question of proportions

The DA, which led the opposition in the last parliament, identified science and higher education among its 11 “preferred portfolios” in the leaked letter addressed to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.

The wish list also includes the ministries of mineral resources and energy, transport, trade and industry, public works, public service and administration, cooperative governance, communications and digital technologies, justice, home affairs and international relations.

South Africa’s last cabinet had 32 ministers. If it received 11 of those in the new cabinet, the DA’s share would be roughly proportional to its parliamentary seats relative to the ANC.

However, the ANC opposes this division, as evidenced by an earlier leaked letter from Mbalula to the DA. That letter recommends that the DA receive six ministerial posts, an allocation that would be proportional to its share of the whole electoral vote.

News reports on Thursday morning indicated that the ANC was offering six ministerial posts to the DA as part of a “final offer” before announcing the cabinet. President Cyril Ramaphosa is widely expected to announce his cabinet before the end of the week.

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University mulls closure of accommodation block where white supremacy symbols were found this year

The governing council of Stellenbosch University in South Africa has called for “further consultation and consideration” on the rector’s recommendation that its 120-year-old Wilgenhof residence be closed.

The council met on 24 June to deliberate rector Wim de Villier’s recommendation, which echoes a previously confidential report after disturbing finds signalling a white supremacy culture at the residence were made public earlier this year.

Rather than endorse the closure outright, the council of the once whites-only university has issued a call for written submissions on the future of the residence to guide its deliberations.

“The council recognised that opinions on the future of Wilgenhof are deeply divided. This involves several issues including the interpretation of tradition and the need for all university practices to enable an inclusive university where all stakeholders feel they belong,” the university said in a statement.

It said such issues must be thoroughly considered in the interest of fairness, transparency and administrative justice, aligned with its vision and values. 

White supremacy finds

On 9 January, harrowing scenes were uncovered at South Africa’s century-old university when officials opened two locked rooms in the 120-year-old Wilgenhof men’s residence. “Hool 88” was the room where Wilgenhof’s internal disciplinary committee, “the Nagligte” (the Nightlights), conducted their disciplinary activities at night.

Numerous people were overcome with “shock, distress, emotions and tears” upon entering the two rooms, according to a previously confidential report commissioned by the university. The report described the room as “dark, menacing and intimidating” with enigmatic symbols, objects and costumes.

Expert submissions to the investigation panel have confirmed the number 88 has a symbolic association with white supremacy: the number references the phrase “Heil Hitler”, which becomes 88–H being the eighth letter of the alphabet.

Commenting on the report’s findings on 13 June, higher education minister Blade Nzimande strongly condemned the existence of any racially inclined or discriminatory practices or cultures at any of South Africa’s universities.

“Such racist and discriminatory practices or cultures have no place in a free and democratic South Africa,” he said. He urged all stakeholders within the higher education sector to work with government to eradicate such “abhorrent practices or cultures”.

Who owns Wilgenhof?

One of the complications of Wilgenhof’s fate is contention about its ownership. The report states that the residence predates the university and that the Wilgenhof community thinks it “owns” the residence.

“This sense of ‘ownership’ is a deeply held view among the mainly white, male, Afrikaans-speaking community of Wilgenhoffers past and present, who take pride in the facts that: (1) Wilgenhof pre-existed the University itself, and (2) they raised half the money needed to replace the original Wilgenhof residence building,” the report says. 

This feeds into a profound sense that the Wilgenhof community past and present owns the residence and that Wilgenhof is special and set apart from any other residences at the university, the report notes.

Submissions on the fate of the residence will be accepted until 31 July.

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Science council vows to evict illegal occupants who paid fraudsters for parcels of its land

The Agricultural Research Council in South Africa says it is “deeply concerned” about illegal occupation on land that it owns.

“Dishonest and corrupt persons” are selling off stands of the ARC’s land to members of the public, the council said on 24 June.

The ARC’s research farms house experiments on crops, livestock, agro-processing and other agricultural activities. The land invasions disrupt research, and jeopardise the safety of staff and equipment, the council said.

People are also illegally cutting down trees in protected forested areas on ARC land, threatening the forests as well as the research they support, it added.

“These unlawful acts delay much-needed research and development that ensures support to the agricultural sector and food security in South Africa,” the council said.

Public warning

The illegal activities have occurred on the ARC’s Umtiza Research Farm in East London and on its research land in Irene, Pretoria.

In Irene, the property being invaded is part of the council’s Animal Production Campus, which focuses on animal breeding, rangelands and nutrition research, and food science. 

Here, the invasions have targeted land currently used as a residential property for ARC employees, and part of which is also leased out by the council to generate revenue to supplement its government grant. 

The Umtiza farm forms part of the ARC’s research on citrus and other subtropical crops, including pineapple. Research activities at the farm had stopped, but the council says it is talking to partners to resuscitate its activities and to lease out some of the land for profit. 

The ARC told Research Professional News that it has obtained interim court orders to interdict and restrain anyone from entering or occupying its properties with the intention to settle. It says it will work with the courts and law enforcement to evict illegal occupants.

It warns members of the public against engaging with fraudsters selling land, as illegally occupying or invading ARC land “will only result in them losing their hard-earned money and investment during evictions”.

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Head of Africa’s disease control body says deal will make continent more self-reliant

The Egypt-based African Export-Import Bank has committed US$2 billion towards helping Africa manufacture its own health products.

Afreximbank announced its support for the Africa Health Security Investment Plan on 20 June on the sidelines of the Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation held in Paris, France.

The initiative, which is also supported by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), intends to dovetail with the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA).

AVMA, also launched at the Paris meeting, is a funding instrument designed to pump up to US$1bn into African vaccine manufacturing over the next 10 years.

African ‘self-reliance’

The Africa Health Security Investment Plan is built on three pillars: technical assistance and advisory services, an investment project pipeline, and regulatory and normative support.

Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC’s director-general, called the signing of the financing deal “a big day” for African health product manufacturing.

He said that the continent welcomes these major investment announcements that will change the face of health products manufacturing in Africa for years to come.

“Protecting our future means investing in our ability to achieve self-reliance on all health countermeasures,” he said.

European support

The European Union and its member states have announced that they will contribute over US$800 million, including close to US$233m from the EU’s own budget, to the AVMA launched in Paris.

According to an EU statement, the AVMA is expected to purchase more than 800 million doses produced in Africa over the next decade.

The initiative has the potential to improve African pandemic and outbreak preparedness and response, and support global health security, the EU said.

“The initiative will diversify the set of global vaccine suppliers with a target of at least four African vaccine manufacturers sustainably entering the market,” the statement said.

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This week: an AI strategy, Africa-Europe research clusters and a call for R&D capacity building

In depth: The International Health Economics Association has changed the venue of its 2025 congress from Canada to Bali, in Indonesia, to avoid restrictive visa policies hindering attendance from the global south.

Full story: Health conference moved from Canada to Bali over visa concerns

Also this week from Research Professional News

Analysis: Who will be South Africa’s next science minister?—As president Cyril Ramaphosa negotiates his coalition cabinet, the job could move outside his party

South Africa backs Russian proposal for Brics space council—Details are sparse, but council would build on existing cross-border space collaborations

Africa ‘could lead in artificial intelligence’, say experts—However, continent needs to prioritise AI education and governance to achieve this, report says

Here is the rest of the Africa news this week…

African ministers adopt AI strategy

African information and telecommunications ministers have adopted a continental artificial intelligence strategy as well as a “digital compact” to drive inclusive development. The strategy “provides guidance to African countries to harness AI to meet Africa’s development aspirations and the wellbeing of its people, while promoting ethical use, minimising potential risks and leveraging opportunities”, the African Union said on 17 June. The compact, meanwhile, articulates a “common vision” for the continent to harness digital technologies to foster development, economic growth and wellbeing.

Africa-Europe initiative celebrates first anniversary

The Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence initiative celebrated its first anniversary this week by launching a new logo. The initiative will see researchers from both continents collaborate through 20 clusters, a number of which are already operational, with most making “ambitious bids” for third-party funding, according to a statement on 20 June. The initiative was established jointly by the African Research Universities Alliance and the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.

Infectious disease society calls for R&D capacity building

The International Society for Infectious Diseases, an organisation based in the US, has called for greater investment in capacity building for infectious disease research in low- and middle-income countries. The call comes in a list of global health priorities announced by the society on 19 July, developed ahead of its congress to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in December. “Our health priorities provide a clear guide for health and community leaders to focus their resources, while the congress serves as a space for us to tackle these challenges together,” society president Paul Tambyah said in a statement.

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As president Cyril Ramaphosa negotiates his coalition cabinet, the job could move outside his party

South Africa’s re-elected president Cyril Ramaphosa is yet to announce his new cabinet. This will consist of members of the recently announced “government of national unity”, with ministerial posts set to be allocated roughly according to parties’ vote shares in the May election.

Ramaphosa’s African National Congress is reported to be unlikely to want to cede ministries that are central to national security, such as defence and international relations, or major economic ministries. But what about higher education, science and innovation?

The science, innovation and higher education portfolio has been headed by the ANC’s Blade Nzimande since its creation at the start of the last administration, when the higher education department was merged with the science and technology department. The 66-year-old veteran MP has retained his seat despite the party’s all-time-low election results.

Nzimande could continue as minister. But Ramaphosa may also view the portfolio as one that he can farm out to a coalition partner. There is ample precedent for such a scenario. Non-ANC MPs were appointed as science and technology ministers from 1994 until 2009—first Ben Ngubane and Lionel Mtshali from the Inkatha Freedom Party, then Mosibudi Mangena from the Azanian People’s Organisation. ANC MPs have headed the brief since 2009.

However, South Africa’s early science ministers did not have higher education in their portfolio—something that changed with the 2019 merger. Barring a reorganisation of the portfolio, this is likely to be highly influential in the choice of minister in the next cabinet. 

Competing priorities

Science and technology is a relatively minor policy area in South Africa and—if shrinking budgets are anything to go by—a waning political priority. Meanwhile, recent service failures and mismanagement at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, and the scheme’s ballooning budget, have made higher education a growing priority area across the political spectrum.

The Democratic Alliance, the ANC’s largest coalition partner, says in its manifesto that it wants to fundamentally change the student financial aid scheme. Ramaphosa may therefore choose to protect the status quo by reappointing Nzimande or someone else from within the ANC ranks.

For its part, the DA could oppose Nzimande’s reappointment given that it laid criminal charges against him in January over allegations, denied by Nzimande, that he had received kickbacks from the scheme. One peacekeeping compromise might be to give the higher education, science and innovation brief to a third party in the five-party unity coalition.

We may not know for a while who will head up science and technology in South Africa’s new government. Negotiations between coalition partners only got underway this week and are likely to be fraught. South Africa has had a national unity government before, but at that time—in 1994—the ANC was negotiating from a position of ascending, rather than diminishing, political power.

It remains to be seen how the ANC and the fledgling coalition adapt to this new era.

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Trieste meeting pairs up researchers from developing countries with government officials

Early career scientists from Africa and other developing nations paired up with policymakers for a course on science diplomacy in Trieste, Italy, on 18-20 June.

The course was hosted by The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (Twas) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

“By pairing course participants and equipping them with the relevant and necessary knowledge they need about science diplomacy, Twas and AAAS aim to forge stronger links between researchers and decision-makers living or working in the same countries,” said Twas president Quarraisha Abdool Karim in a statement.

From the African continent, Cameroon, Madagascar, Sudan and Uganda were represented at the meeting, while other represented countries included Nepal and Guatemala.

Tense issues

The programme, now in its 10th year, has trained 368 people since its 2014 launch. Twas said in its statement that these alumni are now “influencing policy” throughout the developing world.

The pairings spent three days tackling “tense diplomatic issues”, such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, pandemics, wars and natural disasters, according to a 17 June media statement. Participants also discussed the role of scientists in achieving the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Sudip Parikh, chief executive officer of AAAS, said the scientist-policymaker pairing programme hopes to create “agents of change”. Karim added that it would enable the “rapid adoption of evidence-based solutions to national, regional and global challenges”.

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Details are sparse, but council would build on existing cross-border space collaborations

The South African National Space Agency will support Russia’s proposal to establish a Brics space council featuring emerging economies, it confirmed in a statement on 10 June.

Sansa head Humbulani Mudau met with heads of space agencies from other Brics nations in Moscow in late May as part of the bloc’s committee on space cooperation, established in 2022 to formalise sharing agreements around space technologies and data.

The Brics bloc until recently comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. However, it is in the process of expanding, with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates having joined earlier this year.

Mudau told the Moscow summit that South Africa, through Sansa, supported the Russian proposal of a space council and would develop its “cooperation in this direction”.

Sansa did not share details of the proposal, but the official Brics Russia 2024 summit website states that the space council will be further discussed at the next Brics summit in October in Kazan, southwest Russia.

‘Shared commitment’

In the statement, Sansa said it has an existing partnership with Russia to track space debris and announced plans to work with a Russian biomedical research group on “space and technology projects”.

“This collaborative approach to space activities, where all member countries contribute their unique perspectives, resources and expertise, is a key strength of the Brics space cooperation and a testament to the shared commitment to advancing space science and technology for the benefit of all,” the agency wrote.

The committee encouraged support for all Brics space missions during the Moscow summit. India, like China and Russia, has high ambitions for its space missions. Last July, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on his country’s “historic landing of the Chandrayaan 3 on the south side of the moon”.

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However, continent needs to prioritise AI education and governance to achieve this, report says

Africa could be at the forefront of artificial intelligence globally due to its youthful, multicultural workforce, but only if AI education and governance are prioritised, a report argues.

The June 2024 report, titled “AI and the Future of Work in Africa”, was compiled by academic and industry experts representing tech giant Microsoft, the University of Pretoria, the African Union Development Agency, African AI startup Lelapa AI and Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

“Africa’s rapidly growing population and vibrant tech ecosystem provide significant opportunities, particularly through the emergence of startups, tech hubs and collaborative projects that drive digital transformation,” the report states.

“By proactively addressing the challenges and harnessing the opportunities, Africa can leverage AI to drive economic growth, empower its workforce, and become a leader in socially responsible AI development,” it says.

‘Africa-centric’ AI

However, the report goes on to say that the continent must cultivate its own talent in AI research, innovation and design, as well as AI policy and governance for Africa to significantly contribute to the AI economy.

The report urges investments to target “Africa-centric” data and platforms to ensure that new AI tools complement human skills, rather than replace them.

AI tools that are not tailored to unique African socio-economic contexts could result in a “potential dystopian future”, it says, where such technologies would exacerbate inequalities rather than levelling them up.

Generative AI, such as chatbots like ChatGPT, need to be pursued in an equitable way that considers not just what data is collected and curated, and by whom, but also how it is used, the report says.

“The methods and algorithms created in building models to reflect such concerns are likely to be globally relevant and beneficial,” it adds.

Inclusive policies

The report—dubbed a white paper by its authors—argues that technical skills in areas such as computer science, machine learning and engineering must be consolidated.

Legal, ethical, social and policy perspectives are needed to “build AI which enhances human work and creativity”, it adds.

National and regional AI policies must also be crafted to ensure inclusive education and worker protections, it says.

“The involvement of youth, community leaders, academics and business leaders is critical in developing inclusive and relevant AI policies for Africa,” it says.

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Organisers list “severe” delays, onerous processes and high costs of visas as reasons for decision

The International Health Economics Association has changed the venue of its 2025 congress from Canada to Bali, in Indonesia, to avoid restrictive visa policies hindering attendance from the global south.

The rethink came after the organisers became aware of “severe delays” in securing Canadian visa application outcomes—up to eight months for some nationalities—as well as the “onerous process and high costs involved”, the IHEA’s leadership said in a statement.

The IHEA congress was meant to take place in Calgary on 19-23 July, 2025. Ease of visa access for developing country participants had been a key factor in selecting the location, according to the statement by Kara Hanson, IHEA president, and Di McIntyre, IHEA executive director. 

When reports of the prospective delays reached the organisers, the IHEA board tried to find ways to speed up the visa process for its attendees. One challenge was that several of the association’s members could not apply for a visa until their presentation abstract was accepted and they had secured funding to attend.

“We brought various deadlines forward to help with this, but despite all our best efforts we were legitimately concerned that equitable attendance at the event would be threatened,” Hanson and McIntyre said. In 2023, the event attracted representatives of a record 106 countries when it was held in Cape Town, South Africa. “This is not a risk that we are willing to take,” they added.

The statement went on to urge governments to end visa discrimination as well as other forms of discrimination that hinder the free movement of people with legitimate reasons to travel. “In this unsettled world, facilitating research and policy conversations among scholars from different parts of the globe, who are free to bring their true selves along with their ideas, seems more important than ever.”

The congress will take place in Bali on the same dates as originally planned.

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Meeting hears call for additional resources to predict and mitigate floods, tornadoes and drought

Climate data from southern Africa may not be “usable” or “robust” enough for decision-makers who need to plan for extreme weather events, a meeting at Stellenbosch University in South Africa has heard.

The meeting to discuss extreme weather in developing countries preceded a flood that killed 10 people in the Eastern Cape and a tornado that killed 11 people in KwaZulu-Natal in early June.

In a write-up of the 22-24 May meeting on 10 June, the Department of Science and Innovation said that South Africa “has experienced its share of extreme climate events”, citing several damaging droughts, floods and storms since 2015.

Research presented at the meeting shows that climate change is putting pressure on agriculture in the Western Cape and threatening lives and the economy in the Limpopo and Botswana regions, the department said.

No consensus

Bruce Hewitson, director of the University of Cape Town’s Climate System Analysis Group, warned at the meeting that a mismatch between different sources of information prevents good decision-making to mitigate disasters.

“At present, there is no consensus or general agreement on how to assess the robustness of actionable information at the decision scale,” he said.

He also said that more resources and funding are needed to adapt to extreme climate events, but that competing priorities could stymie investments.

The science department said that South Africa has legislation in place to “enable a coordinated and integrated response to climate change and its impact from all spheres of government”.

It said that the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy developed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, as well as the National Climate Change Response Policy, will help to manage climate change impacts and emergency responses.

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But government instability after South Africa’s dramatic election could delay action, expert warns

Civil society organisations have demanded that South Africa ramp up testing and treating of tuberculosis by the first of December this year.

The call comes in an open letter to Joe Phaahla, the health minister, published on 7 June, the final day of the 8th South African TB Conference held in Durban.

The letter demands that the government increase TB testing, prevention and treatment measures, but that it also improves access to psychosocial interventions like counselling and nutritional support for affected families.

Limakatso Lebina, a TB clinical trials specialist at the Africa Health Research Institute who was on the conference organising committee, told Research Professional News that she thought their demands were “reasonable and necessary”.

However, she said she doubts the 1 December deadline will be met as political uncertainty threatens ministerial positions following the recent national polls.

Election uncertainty

On 29 May, South Africa held an election where the ruling African National Congress lost its majority in parliament.

With political parties exploring coalition options, it is not clear whether Phaahla, who has retained his parliamentary seat, will return as health minister.

In their open letter, organisations including South African National AIDS Council Civil Society Forum, TB proof and Show Me Your Number expressed their hope that he will.

“However, if this is not the case, make sure you provide to the minister who will take over from you this letter and advise him to act with greater speed than you did,” they write.

Cross-cutting needs

Lee-Ann Davids, head of monitoring, evaluation and research at the South African Medical Research Council’s office for Aids and TB research, said the Durban conference agreed on the need for a more cross-cutting approach to the disease.

“The conference was unanimous in its conclusion that a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach will be required to accelerate our progress in ending TB as a public health threat,” she told Research Professional News.

She and Lebina said experts agreed that although South Africa has made great progress in biomedical interventions including vaccines, drugs and diagnostics, the focus must shift to include areas like affordability, social services and food parcels.

“It is not just about the free TB treatment once one is diagnosed. The big cost is accessing diagnosis,” said Lebina, citing the cost of multiple health facility visits and tests.

Details needed

Lebina said that while South Africa has good policies in principle to facilitate a cross-sectoral TB response, researchers still need to figure out the details of implementation.

For example, she said, while it is easy to say nutritional support is needed, there are questions around the type of support and possible associated stigma. “Is it a food supplement? Is it a food parcel? Where should they be collecting it? What is the stigma if there is a delivery van going to certain families? Would that bring more stigma and discrimination for those families?”

Lebina also indicated that research and funding is still needed for biomedical interventions, including developing improved TB vaccines and finger-prick diagnostics.

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