The withdrawal of United States research funding has cost South Africa's science and research system about R2.5 billion, exposing the country's dependence on foreign funding. Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande stated that the cuts had highlighted weaknesses in the way critical research programmes were financed. The US government withdrew funding from South African health research and clinical trial programmes, including work focused on HIV and tuberculosis.
Minister Nzimande was expected to release the report of the Ministerial Working Group on Science, Technology and Innovation Funding for public comment in Pretoria. The working group was established after the US government withdrew funding from South African health research and clinical trial programmes. Affected institutions included the University of Cape Town, Wits University, the University of Pretoria, the South African Medical Research Council and CAPRISA.
According to Nzimande, the South African Medical Research Council estimated that R1.6 billion in cuts linked to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) placed 1 930 research posts and 108 student degrees at risk. One affected programme was an HIV vaccine trial which lost a newly awarded five-year grant worth $45 million. The NIH had indicated that some funding could be reinstated after determining that it did not fall within the definition of foreign aid.
The report recommends more predictable domestic funding for strategic research, protection of critical health, genomics, biotechnology and public health platforms, and increased public and private spending on research and development. South Africa currently spends about 0.62% of gross domestic product on research and development, short of the national target of 1.5%. Minister Nzimande emphasized the need for South Africa to diversify its international funding relationships.
Minister Nzimande stated that about 17.3% of the country's research and development funding was dependent on foreign donors, with health research more exposed than some other fields. The main recommendation is that, as a country, South Africa must make sure that its core priorities are not dependent on foreign funding. While donor funding is necessary, core priorities should be funded domestically.
The report also calls for South Africa to strengthen conditions in international research agreements covering data, intellectual property, technology transfer, local manufacturing, and skills development. Department Director-General Mlungisi Cele said reaching the target of spending 1.5% of GDP on research and development would require a review of existing research incentives and greater private-sector investment.
Minister Nzimande said the government was already pursuing greater domestic scientific capacity, including vaccine development, and preparing for future health emergencies. The report is open for public comment until December 31, and submissions will be considered in drawing up an implementation framework. The funding shock should be used to strengthen South Africa's science system rather than retreat from international cooperation.
Key points
- US research funding cuts cost South Africa's science system R2.5bn.
- The cuts placed 1 930 research posts and 108 student degrees at risk.
- South Africa aims to increase research and development spending to 1.5% of GDP.
