Pretoria – South Africa has allocated R10.4 billion for science, technology and innovation in the 2026/2027 financial year, with Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Professor Blade Nzimande and his deputy Dr Nomalungelo Gina announcing the budget before Parliament on Friday, 15 May.
The allocation will fund cutting-edge research, skills development, research infrastructure and innovation aimed at driving economic growth and improving the country’s global competitiveness over the next three years.
Speaking in Parliament, Minister Nzimande said the world was facing one of its most unpredictable and precarious moments in human history, and that the future depended on the country’s willingness to use innovation to advance justice, equality and peace. 
The Department plans to raise gross expenditure on research and development to 1.5% of GDP, expand the science and technology human resources pipeline, and strengthen coordination across the National System of Innovation through the Inter-Ministerial Committee on STI and the Presidential Plenary for STI.
Support will continue for major science projects such as the Square Kilometre Array, pandemic preparedness, artificial intelligence, energy security, space technology, vaccine manufacturing and indigenous knowledge systems. The Department also plans to forge strategic innovation partnerships with state departments and private sector players, while upgrading critical science infrastructure and developing high-end skills through the Presidential PhD Programme.
Nzimande said R14.9 million had been allocated to strengthen bio-surveillance, ease livestock export restrictions linked to foot-and-mouth disease, and support the Biosecurity Hub at the University of Pretoria. Separately, 19 infrastructure projects were approved with KfW, a German bank, to advance South Africa’s vaccine development, testing, manufacturing and regulation.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research also launched a Hot Isostatic Press facility in Tshwane to strengthen local manufacturing, improve metal component performance and cut reliance on offshore processing.
Deputy Minister Gina said government was clear that without stronger industry investment in innovation, South Africa would not be able to compete in a rapidly changing global economy.
“We are therefore intensifying our engagement with business leadership to unlock greater investment in science, technology and innovation for the country. To drive this forward, we are establishing dedicated working groups and workstreams with major national corporations to build impactful, long-term industry partnerships,” said Gina.
She pointed to the graduation of 96 students with bachelor’s degrees in Indigenous Knowledge Systems from North-West University as a significant achievement. The Department has funded the programme since 2013, with student enrolment growing steadily over the years.
Thirteen Living Labs, nine Centres for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and mLabs across four provinces have also been established to give innovators physical space and structured support to develop prototype solutions for the market.
Gina said the Department was determined to change the face of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics professional pipeline in the country.
“The profile of our professional pipeline is overwhelmingly white, male, and urban. Women and rural people are underrepresented. Transformation of the STI in its class composition, gender, and race is fundamental to our agenda,” she said.
She added that the budget vote marked a shift in the Department’s focus beyond pure sciences and research toward innovation and technology.
“While these areas remain important, DSTI is making a strategic focus on innovation and technologies in strengthening the system of national innovation. We are making headway in this mandate; we will leave no one behind,” said Gina.
The budget announcement followed a public engagement programme at Iziko Museum, attended by local and international stakeholders, school learners and university students, which included exhibitions and a public lecture on Artificial Intelligence delivered by Professor of Computer Science Vukosi Marivate.
