by Andrea Naicker
When thinking about science, technology and innovation, most people’s minds go straight to robots, spaceships, self-driving cars and talking machines. Centuries ago, such incredible inventions may have seemed farfetched, but in today’s fast moving technological world, there are no limits to what we can achieve in the field.
Since the dawn of time, humanity has strived to advance by tapping into the potential of science and technology. This constant drive has led to major milestones such as the creation of the steam engine, which sparked the onset of the industrial revolution, to the use of computing and artificial intelligence in the present age.
The onset of the 4th industrial revolution has shifted how we work, commute, communicate and even socialise. Today, every facet of our lives is interconnected, cutting across borders, thereby compelling all nations, including developing nations to keep up with and embrace the latest technological advancements.
South Africa continues to make significant contributions to the domain of science and technology. Projects such as the Square Kilometre Array are pushing the boundaries of science and human exploration. Furthermore, our investments in research, development and innovations are helping to grow our economy, while paving the way for sustainable development which can transform lives.
South Africa continues to push the boundaries of science and innovation and recently made a quantum leap through the development of a range of locally developed technologies for enhancing the lives of people with disabilities.
These key technologies, include Virecom, a video remote interpreting service, and WeSignIt, an application which translates written content into sign language for deaf users. Additionally, the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein developed an audio description tool, called ShazaCin, and ka-dah, and a wearable smartphone interface for the blind or visually impaired., These innovations aim to enhance communication with the purpose of improving responsiveness to individual needs and for people living with disabilities.
These cutting-edge breakthroughs came at an apt time, shortly after the nation observed Psycho-Social Disability Awareness Month in July and the commemoration of National Science week between 4-9 August 2025.
National Science Week, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s flagship science engagement initiative, was hosted in partnership with Tshwane University of Technology. It aspired to advance science education and innovation in our country.
The event provided the platform to tell the story of science in South Africa and showcased some of our latest developments, whilst sparking interest among young people.
It sought to attract people into the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sector through various exhibitions and displays by universities, research councils and innovators, as well as live science demonstrations and hands-on experiments.
The STEM field is in high demand and crucial for our socio-economic and sustainable development, however it is apparent that there is an underrepresentation of women and youth in this sector.
Government encourages women and youth to pursue careers in these fields and to take advantage of opportunities within our nation, as science, technology and innovation is inclusive and accessible for everyone.
We are working towards enhancing accessibility in these fields as well as incorporating technological enhancements within our systems by deploying some technologies in public services such as police stations for instance, contributing to enhancing efficiency and effectives of our services.
Other efforts of government in improving the lives of citizens include continuous research and development and innovative projects, such as the Grassroots Innovation Programme, which supports innovators, especially youth and previously excluded citizens, that may lack access to formal education or innovation facilities.
Every advance we make in science, technology and innovation help to move our nation forward. We therefore encourage businesses and educational institutions to partner and invest with us in the field as the world transitions to advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Let us continue to invest in awakening our scientific and innovative potential, to transform the lives of our people and develop our nation.
Andrea Naicker is Assistant Director: Content Development at GCIS