NRF Annual Report 2018

PART B: PERFORMANCE
5.3.2 Ageing research infrastructure
Ageing infrastructure is commonplace at the national
research facilities. Specifically, the 30-year-old separatedsector
cyclotron (SSC) has been identified as a major
strategic risk to the future sustainability of iThemba LABS. A
strategy has been developed to ensure that the facility will not
only remain operational, but improve its globally competitive
research agenda. At its heart is the South African Isotope
Facility (SAIF) project and the acquisition of a new 70-MeV
cyclotron. Concerted efforts are underway to secure funding.
5.3.3 Systemic transformation
The NRF’s role and contribution to the transformation agenda
of the research system have been significant and evident.
Despite its limited scope, the NRF remains unrelenting in
its pursuit for transformation of the research cohort, and
actively manages ongoing challenges to the achievement of
related transformation targets. An overarching framework, A
Catalyst for Transformation of the NSI, was developed to
drive transformation in four main areas, namely the equity
profile of postgraduate students and researchers; the
knowledge enterprise; the relationship between science and
society; and the transformation of the NRF itself.
5.4 Organisational environment
5.4.1 NRF Amendment Bill
Amendments to the NRF Act were considered by the National
Assembly through the PPC on Science and Technology. The
draft Amendment Bill proposes enhancements to the current
mandate of the organisation as follows:
• supporting, promoting and advancing research and
human capacity development, through funding and the
provision of the necessary research infrastructure, in
order to facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation
and development in all fields of science and technology,
including humanities, social sciences and indigenous
knowledge;
• developing, supporting and maintaining national research
facilities;
• supporting and promoting public awareness of, and
engagement with, science; and
• promoting the development and maintenance of the
national science system in support of Government
priorities.
5.4.2 Significant developments
The organisation negotiated a more streamlined approach
to managing DST contracts. There are now five main
contracts, namely strategic science missions, human capital
development, research and development infrastructure
platforms, science engagement and management on the
Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. The new arrangement
will allow greater flexibility to respond to changing needs
and priorities, and enable the NRF to be responsive and
proactive to the needs of the research community.
The SPP division, was established and resourced over the
period, incorporating the functions of the former International
Relations Cooperation (IRC) and Institutional Engagement
and Partnership Development (IEPD) directorates, as well
as the information and analysis capability previously in
corporate governance. SPP focuses on the implementation
and management of mature and integrated business
intelligence channels to continuously contribute to evidencebased
policy and decision making.
Construction of the MeerKAT telescope was completed by
31 March 2018 and science readiness of the entire MeerKAT
signal processing chain was demonstrated by successfully
observing a calibrator source.The observation confirmed that
the required system components have been successfully
integrated to an appropriate level. A large survey project
(LSP) observation that is considered acceptable by the
LSP’s principal investigator is still to be obtained.
In July 2017, the former radio astronomy facility,
Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO)
and the SKA SA project were combined to form the National
Research Facility, SARAO. SARAO will consolidate the
activities of the HartRAO, SKA SA, the African VLBI Network
(AVN) and associated research infrastructure, including big
data storage, data transport and computing facilities. It will
also consider the existing and future global strategy within
the respective science fields, and will respond effectively to
the operational and management responsibilities that the
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NRF Annual Report 2017/18