Hon Chairperson, Ministers, Deputy Minister, hon Members of Parliament and fellow citizens, our economic viability is largely to do with our skills set. Maths, Science and Technology are staples of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Chairperson, allow us as the ANC, to mourn one of our own, Mandla Maseko; may his soul rest in peace.
We would like applaud 20 young South Africans who have built a plane, showcasing the ability and the potential of our youth in science, technology and innovation. Indeed, we can say that today is better than yesterday and we surely hoping that tomorrow will be better than today.
This is indeed clear evidence that the greatest equaliser in bringing our rural communities in par with the rest of the urban world is through science and technology. However, we would like to emphasise the usage of our African indigenous languages in the field of science, technology and innovation, because if not used, it tends to undermine our human development.
Today, when I was at the exhibitions, I spoke to one of the App inventors. One of the things that he emphasized was: How do we get to speak to our people on issues of the 4th Industrial Revolution using our languages. So, we want to emphasize that moving forward, as we speak about the 4th Industrial Revolution ...
Setswana:
... re berekisa puo ya gaetsho
English:
The President outlined the five fundamental goals for the next decade and the progress needed in order to tackle these triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
Science, technology and innovation holds a very important role in achieving these goals. President Ramaphosa said that the NDP was adopted to guide our national effort to defeat poverty, unemployment and inequality and with nearly 10 years before we reach 2030, we have not made nearly enough progress and therefore extraordinary measures are needed in order to realise Vision 2030.
We reaffirm that education remains an apex priority for government and a lot has been achieved since the advent of democracy within the STI sector. However, more needs to be done in order to build appropriate infrastructure.
In welcoming the 2019-20 consolidated government expenditure of R16,5 billion for STI, we reiterate the resolutions of the ANC that the development of STI must be of good benefit to our people.
We further welcome the use of STI within the agricultural sector and in this; we share a same belief with President Ramaphosa that, through science, technology and innovation, we will work towards improving food security.
Women bear the face of poverty in South Africa. Increasing the participation of women in the agriculture sector should be complimented by ongoing training and skills development using the benefits ... [Inaudible.]
We need to conceptualise ... as part of capacity building programmes from both primary to secondary level up until higher learning. These initiatives will speak directly to the President by introducing subjects like coding and data analytics, which can be further complimented by indigenous games, like morabaraba.
Those who come from rural areas and villages would know that morabaraba would be used as part and parcel of problem solving. You would know that we need to ensure that we don't leave that particular part of playing morabaraba in our ... so that we are able to find solutions ... [Inaudible.] ... This is very important, Chairperson. We must ensure that we don't leave behind.
We welcome the allocation of close to R200 million for public awareness programme to stimulate rural interest in science, technology and innovation by ensuring that digital gap between our rural areas and urban areas is eradicated.
Hon Chairperson, the President has shared with this House and millions of South Africans that he has a dream about the 4th Industrial Revolution and indicated that they have set aside R100 billion for infrastructure funding.
We call upon government to ensure that this funding is well co- ordination and properly used for STIs, for example, Wi-Fi hotspots should be in all public spaces, in parks and recreational facilities.
Entities under the department of science and technology must, through awarding of scholarship, bursaries, internship and learnership, as well as exit opportunities, should ensure there is fair distribution to youth, women, LGBTIQA+, people with disabilities, people with albinism and youth in conflict with the law.
Chairperson, allow me to emphasise on the importance of social transformation as a societal responsibility. We have heard people saying the ANC this and that; when we speak about science and technology, we need to own up because most of us are still learning ... [Inaudible.]
In order to achieve this, we need a memorandum of understanding between public-private partnerships that speaks to commitments relating to our annual targets in STI.
Over the medium-term, R123,6 million is expected to be invested in a range of ICT initiatives such as the artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, quantum computing and bio-technology, many of which are essential for South Africans to exploit the opportunities associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
An estimated addition of R3,3 billion in the sector of innovation and green economy will be used to advance a set of technology-based interventions. These interventions include sector innovation funds, partnership between industry and government to enhance South Africa's competitiveness with the aim of improving our economy.
In closing, I want to say the 4th Industrial Revolution is our mode of socioeconomic transformation to radical economic transformation in our life time for better life for all. We need ward-based science and technology soldiers.
Lastly, I want to share with the House that today, when we were attending the expo, I learned from the scientists is that science is about finding solutions and ideas without being anarchists. So, those who are anarchists must know that we are in a department that seeks to promote battle of ideas. I thank you.