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focuses on establishing new
developmental enterprises based on
CSIR and other technologies.
Further, the CSIR’s R&D programmes
could lead to the creation of completely
new industries; an example here is our
R&D in the benefi ciation of titanium.
SET to enable service
delivery
The CSIR is able to guide and
offer solutions to enhance service
delivery in the fi elds of water supply
and management; the provision of
sanitation, health, education and
electricity; the improvement of roads,
housing and waste management; and
providing access to information.
I am particularly proud of the positive
response to our work in the fi ght
against multi-drug- and extensively drugresistant
TB. In this regard, the CSIR has
embarked on a project to address the
lack of appropriate health infrastructure
to prevent cross-infection – a key
constraint in the effective treatment
and rehabilitation of TB patients and
protection of caregivers (read article on
page 12).
In another example, to assist authorities
and road owners with curbing and
preventing the deterioration of road
surfaces and repairing potholes, the
CSIR compiled technical guidelines
on the causes, prevention and repair
methods of potholes. These guidelines,
made available in December 2010,
have been downloaded more than
800 times from December 2010 to
March 2011. Training courses on the
causes of potholes, their identifi cation
and the various repair methods for the
different categories of potholes have
been held since February 2011 in
partnership with the South African Road
Federation.
Breaking new ground
Together with our line department, the
Department of Science and Technology
(the DST), the CSIR is braving new
research frontiers and amplifying
the potential of existing ones. We
host the DST’s National Centre for
Nano-Structured Materials and run
DST-funded programmes in synthetic
biology. These are emerging areas of
research in South Africa.
The CSIR also manages and
implements one of the DST’s pillars in
its cyberinfrastructure strategy, namely
the South African National Research
Network (SANReN). This high speed
and high volume information and
communications technology network
will greatly benefi t researchers and
higher education institutions.
In conclusion, let me extend my
gratitude for the support and input of
our main stakeholder, the DST and the
Minister of Science and Technology. I
would also like to thank my executive
and CSIR staff for their contribution to
the success of the organisation.
Dr Sibusiso Sibisi
CEO’S INTRODUCTION