NRF Annual Report 2018

OVERVIEW BY THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
14
Introduction
I have the pleasure of presenting the Annual Report of the National
Research Foundation (NRF) for the year ending 31 March 2018.
The Annual Report provides an account of the organisational
performance against pre-determined objectives in line with the
Annual Performance Plan for 2017/18 and the NRF Strategy
2020.
Organisational Performance highlight
The NRF was proud to deliver the fully operational MeerKAT radio
telescope at the end of March 2018. With an investment of close
to R4 billion, the 64 dish array is a precursor to the mid-frequency
component of the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA)
telescope, and will form part of SKA phase 1. SKA will be the
largest radio telescope in the world however, for now, MeerKAT
is one of the most sensitive radio telescopes. The SKA South
Africa project started in 2004 with a mandate of ‘mission driven
innovation’. Through international collaboration and a vibrant
human capacity development programme, South Africa has
developed a globally competitive cohort of artisans, technicians,
engineers, and scientists in support of radio astronomy and the
telescope. With 75% of the MeerKAT components being locally
manufactured, MeerKAT is truly home-grown.
High Level financial review of the public entity
Total income increased in nominal terms by 5%, but declined
in real terms by 0.2%, year on year from R4.5 billion to R4.7
billion. The Parliamentary grant, allocated to the NRF to deliver
on its mandate, increased marginally by 4.9% in nominal terms,
this constituted a decline of 0.3% in real terms. This has been a
consistent trend over the last 5 years.
Ring-fenced funding increased by 9% from R2.2 billion in the prior
year, to R2.4 billion due to increased carry forwards related to
the SKA project and the South African Research Chairs Initiative
(SARChI). Newly allocated ring-fenced funding for the year
contributed to 3% of the total increase. Contract income increased
marginally by 2.5% due to a phase-out of funding received from
NRF Annual Report 2017/18
the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) for the Technology
and Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP).
At 6%, the NRF operational overheads remained well below
the threshold of 10%. This was due to continued emphasis on
enhanced efficiency and prudent cost management.
Spending trends and performance against the
strategic outcome orientated goals of the public
entity
The organisation achieved an overall 64% of its APP performance
targets for the year in review.
In contributing to the long term goal of “an internationally
competitive and transformed science and technology workforce”,
a total of R2.6 billion was invested in the research system for
researcher and infrastructure support as well as human capacity
development. This resulted in 14 598 postgraduate students being
supported, of which 78% were black against a target of 69% and
57% were female against a target of 58%. Funding was awarded
to 5 435 masters, and 3 519 doctoral students. This exceeded the
targets for postgraduate students funded per level, by 2% and 9%
respectively.
A total of 4 700 researchers were supported over the period, of
which 36% were black and 38% female. While the number of
black and female researchers supported increased by 8% and
5% year on year. The slow growth in numbers is indicative of a
transformation challenge across the system.
A total of R734 million was allocated for strategic investments of
which 56% or R413 million, was invested in SARChI. By 31 March
2018, 226 research chairs were awarded, of which 215 were
operational. SARChI has directly supported 1 147 postgraduate
students (52% females and 61% black) through grant-holder
linked bursaries over the period. The 15 Centres of Excellence
(CoEs) were allocated R168 million over the financial year and
supported 840 postgraduate students of which 56% were females
and 59% were black.