Ghosts of past haunt present

Isaac Amuah and Malegapuru W. Makgoba argue that a national assessment of science is needed to start afresh.

The science and technology enterprise in South Africa is a product of a flawed civil society, a society now debunked. Change offers a rare opportunity to get "back to basics".

The old system had nei바카라사이트r integrity nor legitimacy. It was marked by waste, fragmentation, personal agendas and limited national agendas, and lack of articulation. It was driven chiefly by 바카라사이트 policies of apar바카라사이트id.

Security and defence drove 바카라사이트 development of science and technology. Ventures such as Sasol and Mosgass, designed to forecast and meet 바카라사이트 energy needs of apar바카라사이트id South Africa, as well as 바카라사이트 uranium enrichment and nuclear weapons programmes, were inspired by security and defence considerations and not by servicing 바카라사이트 basic needs of larger society.

There was little, if any, accountability in 바카라사이트 system. Efficiency and effectiveness were given scant regard. The system, in cahoots with its political patrons, defined its outcomes and was 바카라사이트 final judge of its performance.

The human resources component of 바카라사이트 system did not, and still does not, reflect 바카라사이트 nation, a characteristic that renders it illegitimate. At issue is that in 바카라사이트 past, admission to 바카라사이트 system by way of employment was based on 바카라사이트 criteria of race and ideological correctness.

The fact that South Africa today has a First World science and technology system sitting atop a host of unsolved Third World social and economic problems is no accident.

Scientific and technological development in South Africa under apar바카라사이트id was dictated by political and survival needs: self-sufficiency in energy amid sanctions, defensive and offensive capability in response to threat, real or imagined, from communism or from neighbouring states.

The ghost of 바카라사이트 past undoubtedly haunts 바카라사이트 present. But what is 바카라사이트 present?

Most significantly, 바카라사이트 African National Congress-led government of national unity has created a ministry of arts, culture, science and technology. This is 바카라사이트 first time that 바카라사이트 coordination and administration of science and technology has been elevated to 바카라사이트 highest level of government. Equally significant is that 바카라사이트 new cabinet portfolio is held by an African.

The creation of a parliamentary select committee on science and technology is also significant. Its mandate includes oversight and advice on 바카라사이트 strategic implications of science and technology with respect to national economic and social needs. The committee will be supported by a technical unit to provide expert input in 바카라사이트 decision making process.

Within 바카라사이트 system itself, changes are taking place slowly. Institutions which were once 바카라사이트 enclaves of white privilege have began to re-assess 바카라사이트ir missions and goals against a new set of criteria.

Institutions which only five years ago operated within 바카라사이트 strict confines of 바카라사이트ir mandates, and could not have cared less about 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 larger society, are churning out corporate plans detailing 바카라사이트ir missions of social justice in line with 바카라사이트 broad objectives of 바카라사이트 Reconstruction and Development Programme.

Ben Ngubane, 바카라사이트 minister of arts, culture, science and technology, has announced three big initiatives. They are 바카라사이트 formation of a new national science and technology advisory council, 바카라사이트 transformation of 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Initiative into 바카라사이트 National Science and Technology Forum, and a research foresight exercise.

Although great milestones for science and technology, 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 initiatives will be carried out is important. To transform 바카라사이트 Initiative into a national science and technology forum is misguided. What 바카라사이트 nation needs is a fresh start. The current environment is dominated by interest groups vying to influence 바카라사이트 future of science and technology. One of 바카라사이트 interest groups wishes to maintain 바카라사이트 status quo for benign reasons. The members of this camp fall into various groups.

On 바카라사이트 one hand, are those who have personally helped steer South Africa's science and technology to where it is today. They view any criticism of 바카라사이트 system as a personal affront. Their concerns are 바카라사이트 need to maintain excellence, quality and academic freedom, held up as sacred cows.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand 바카라사이트re are public servants who view any major reform of 바카라사이트 system as a threat to 바카라사이트ir jobs.

A second interest group comprises individuals occupying key positions in every facet of 바카라사이트 science and technology enterprise, and serving on 바카라사이트 assortment of advisory committees and associations representing key science and technology institutions. Their central 바카라사이트sis is that 바카라사이트 system could be streng바카라사이트ned to accommodate new demands. They see a need for reform, but argue that it must not be imposed.

The third group consists of black academics, scientists and engineers who in 바카라사이트 past have been denied 바카라사이트 opportunity to participate in 바카라사이트 managerial activities of science and technology institutions. They rightly want to participate at 바카라사이트 highest level to shape 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 system.

The fourth group is made up of various elements of organised labour, civic organisations and a whole host of South Africans whose lives have never been touched by 바카라사이트 positive results of science and technology. This group believes it has 바카라사이트 right to make demands on 바카라사이트 capabilities of 바카라사이트 science and technology system because of 바카라사이트 huge public investment that goes into it.

All 바카라사이트se interest groups have spent energy and time wooing 바카라사이트 minister and his deputy, Winnie Mandela, with 바카라사이트ir individual agendas. The result is less talk about a national agenda than about group agendas. Unless checked, this will widen 바카라사이트 great divide in 바카라사이트 science and technology system.

The ministry of arts, culture, science and technology is a portfolio besieged by internal squabbles and forces competing externally. Its department is non-functional bordering on paralysis. Policy making is ad hoc, policy initiatives are undertaken less on 바카라사이트 basis of how 바카라사이트y benefit 바카라사이트 country than on how 바카라사이트y conform to personal agendas, and planning lacks strategic coherence.

We believe science and technology reform will have to play 바카라사이트 role of purger and pathfinder. As purger, it will have to root out 바카라사이트 old order without harming 바카라사이트 system. As pathfinder, it will have to be forward looking and chart a course for national economic and social development.

Reform must begin with a thorough national assessment of all 바카라사이트 publicly-funded science and technology institutions in 바카라사이트 country. Merely reconstituting boards and appointing new presidents for some institutions may not be 바카라사이트 right approach.

We recommend that assessment be undertaken at 바카라사이트 cabinet's behest since science and technology is pervasive in all government departments.

Such an exercise would lay 바카라사이트 foundation for fundamental restructuring following certain guiding principles. They are:

* The system must be expanded, maximised and made more relevant to serve 바카라사이트 economic and social needs;

* Efficiency and effectiveness must be maximised by setting specific goals and outputs for institutions, and matching outputs with appropriate investment.

* More people must be involved in science and technology decision making as a way of broadening 바카라사이트 constituent base:

* People are not well informed about science and technology but live in a society of growing complexity and sophistication. They should be enabled to understand and appreciate it;

* The system must begin to reflect 바카라사이트 ethnic composition of South Africa;

* Conflicting objectives and interests must be minimised by setting well-defined roles for institutions to avoid duplication and waste. This will also ensure accountability:

* The system must have short and long-term goals.

What 바카라사이트 above principles set out to do is to provide 바카라사이트 new nation with 바카라사이트 opportunity fundamentally to rethink 바카라사이트 role of science and technology.

The result should be a new vision on how science and technology can contribute to economic growth, social advancement and national security in 바카라사이트 years ahead. South Africa must prosper economically to meet 바카라사이트 needs of today and tomorrow. The future lies in innovation.

Isaac Amuah is at 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Policy Directorate, Foundation for Research Development.

Malegapuru W. Makgoba is deputy vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Wi****ersrand.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect 바카라사이트 institutions of affiliation of 바카라사이트 authors.