This Programme provides leadership in ensuring that South Africa's research base is maintained, strengthened and grown so that it may contribute to the modernisation and development of a knowledge-based economy. The Programme had 32 targets; it achieved 19, partly achieved eight and did not achieve five targets. The major achievement of this programme was South Africa winning the bid to host the largest part of the SKA Radio Telescope. Additional achievements include the awarding of bursaries to 8 379 postgraduate students, which was 2 279 more than was planned; and awarding 476 more researchers with grants through the NRF than was planned. The five targets that were not achieved included the following. The first stated that the Minister would approve an implementation plan for the Strategy for Human Capital Development for Research, Innovation and Scholarship. However, the implementation plan could not be developed because the Strategy was not finalised. The second target related to the development of a draft Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Innovation (STEMI) Promotion and Engagement Strategy. Progress on the strategy was delayed due to a new approach taken to conceptualise the strategy. The third target that was not achieved related to the number (250) of researchers that access research infrastructure. No researchers could access the research infrastructure because the grants that had to be awarded for the infrastructure to be developed were awarded late in the financial year. No reason explaining why the grants were awarded late was provided. The fourth target that was not achieved was the development of a draft Antarctic Research Strategy because the Department had decided to develop a broader framework for the holistic development of research in the Southern Oceans and Antarctica. The fifth target that was not achieved was the development of a cabinet memorandum on the draft legislation for the protection and promotion of Indigenous Knowledge Systems.