Media Releases
CSIR welcomes Dr Bonginkosi “Blade” Nzimande and Mr Buti Manamela as the new Minister and Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, respectively, as appointed by President Cyril Ramphosa, on Wednesday, 29 May 2019.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is working closely with private sector and innovation partners in developing and localising technologies to support the advancement of industries in South Africa.
The CSIR congratulates Dr Ghaneshree Moonsamy for being the first student at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) to have her Master’s degree converted into a doctoral degree.
Moonsamy (34), a senior researcher at the CSIR, made history when her thesis for a Master’s in biotechnology was converted into a PhD thesis because of its superior quality.
CSIR congratulates the Chairperson of its Board, Prof. Thokozani Majozi, for being awarded the National Order of Mapungubwe. This is the highest honour in South Africa, granted by the President of the country, and it recognises South Africans who have accomplished excellence and exceptional achievement in international research areas that have benefitted the country.
CSIR have found that renewable energy assisted in relieving pressure on the constrained South African power system during load shedding in the first quarter of 2019. With South Africa needing to resort to up to stage 4 load shedding in the first quarter of 2019 (Q1-2019), variable renewable energy (VRE) contributed valuable energy and assisted in avoiding further load shedding. Study document [PDF]
Up to 50% of the annual inflows into the Western Cape’s Berg River Dam catchment and Limpopo’s De Hoop Dam catchment could be used up by alien plants over a period of 45 years, if they are left uncleared. This is the warning issued by water experts Dr David Le Maitre of the CSIR; Dr James Blignaut of Stellenbosch University; Prof. Lynette Louw, Prof. Tally Palmer and Mr Ian Preston of Rhodes University in a recent paper published by the Water Research Commission in the Water SA journal, titled Impact of invasive alien plants on water provision in selected catchments
South Africans have been urged to become more energy efficient, change their behaviour and make use of complementary energy sources, as South Africa experiences further load shedding and grid outages.
CSIR, in partnership with the Departments of Science and Technology and Human Settlements, launched the Urban Knowledge Exchange Southern Africa (uKESA), an online platform designed to support government, industry, the private sector, civil society, and academic partners in improving urban development and human settlement practice.
“uKESA is a collaborative contribution aimed at ensuring that the knowledge that has been, and will continue to be generated during the development of sustainable and inclusive human settlements, is not only captured but also remains accessible to stakeholders within the public, private and civil society sectors,” says CSIR principal researcher, Dr Mark Napier.
The residents of Gauteng have been urged to participate in and cooperate with the fieldworkers who are conducting a transport survey. About 37 000 households have been selected to participate in this survey, which aims to assist government to plan for future investments in transport infrastructure in the province.