News
The CSIR and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) have announced a five-year partnership that will contribute towards the acceleration of technology development and commercialisation in the country.
The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) in Pretoria on Friday, 6 December 2019. Both organisations believe that this partnership will drive and enhance research and development (R&D) outputs across all sectors, and build technology development capacities in South Africa.
The CSIR has developed a "novel liver toxicity model which aims to predict best treatment outcome for patients in Africa". This synthetic biology technology will inform a digital precision medicine platform which can help predict the adverse effects of drugs based on unique African genetics.
Fibre connectivity is required between the SKA core site in the Northern Cape and a data processing facility in Cape Town to transport the science data for the SKA project and its precursor, MeerKAT. Therefore, there is a requirement to build an underground dark fibre link from Beaufort West along the N1, R381 via Loxton town and the R63 to Carnarvon. Read for more information.
The Biomanufacturing Industry Development Centre, a CSIR initiative, in partnership with the Department of Science and Innovation, invites interested small, medium and micro-sized enterprises to submit Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the product development of four plants, namely Harpagophytum Procumbens (Devil’s Claw), Siphonochilus Aethiopicus (African Ginger), Pelargonium sidoides (African Geranium) and Sutherlandia frutescens (Cancer Bush).
Download form here.
Closing date for the submission of EOIs: Tuesday, 10 December 2019
The CSIR is at an advanced stage of implementing its new strategy, a move that will see the adoption of a re-organised CSIR-wide operating model.
To this end, the science, engineering and technology (SET) staff reorganisation and confirmation commenced in August 2019 and this process was completed successfully in September 2019. After a rigorous process of reviewing and benchmarking against our peers, both locally and internationally, in October 2019, we commenced with the reorganisation of our support staff across the CSIR.
The second phase of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) energy in South Africa proposes three additional Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZs) for wind and solar photovoltaic energy projects.
The REDZs support the responsible implementation of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) that was recently gazetted by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy on 17 October 2019. Renewable energy projects that could be developed in these new REDZ have the potential to make significant contributions to mine rehabilitation and to support a just energy transition in the specified areas including where 12 GW of existing coal power stations are planned to be decommissioned by 2030.
A new initiative to drive socioeconomic development through public-private partnerships was launched in Limpopo, on 29 October 2019. The Impact Catalyst is an initiative founded by Anglo American, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Exxaro and World Vision South Africa to leverage collaboration across all sectors and magnify impact through collaboration.
The current heat conditions in South Africa have affected the already dry and drought-stricken country, aggravating existing vulnerabilities and affecting sectors such as water and agriculture.
CSIR researchers will share insights and give projections on climate change across South Africa. Researchers will also give helpful tips on how to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Water experts from the CSIR briefs the media on strategies used by a peri-urban community in Hammanskraal to access water, the quality of water accessible to the community and the health risks.
CSIR studies also show that some of the common household products, including sunscreens, hair relaxers, lotions and cleaning detergents, contain engineered nanomaterial ingredients that, when released into the environment, have the potential to cause nanopollution.