Joint: Media statement

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) in the Eastern Cape, will work together in the development of an industrial research facility dedicated to the production of commercially viable biofibre products and applications.

On Friday, 4 June 2021, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Thulani Dlamini, and CDC CEO, Mr Khwezi Tiya, signed signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that paves the way for a public-private partnership that will allow the local industry to make headway in the undersupplied global market of biofibres.

Reflecting on Africa Day, the CSIR urged fellow research organisations, governments and industries to work together in ensuring that science and technology is used to address the unique challenges faced by Africa and its people. The CSIR believes that connecting knowledge and research ecosystems is critical on the continent.

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the world that for a country or continent to survive other pandemics that may occur in the future, collaboration and innovation must be at the forefront. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, many research organisations including the CSIR have dedicated their resources to curb the spread of the virus and to find scientific solutions.

HENSOLDT South Africa and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have signed co-development and license agreements for the development of new-generation radar technology.

A new generation of tactical 3D surveillance radar systems are being developed for naval and land deployment, which will modernise one of HENSOLDT’s key radar product lines and further enhance its extensive radar portfolio. To this end, HENSOLDT South Africa has entered into a research and development agreement with the CSIR, which has built up significant radar expertise and heritage over the past 75 years.

South Africa’s photonics industry is set to benefit from the state-of-the-art Photonics Prototyping Facility (PPF) that was unveiled at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on Friday, 5 March 2021.
The facility will enhance the development of photonics-based products, specifically the prototype-development phase, to test the market for acceptance of the planned product in the country. It offers class 1 000 clean rooms, technical and optical equipment, ranging from electronic, mechanical and diagnostic equipment, for a variety of wavelengths.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an entity of the Department of Science and Innovation celebrates being crowned South Africa’s top employer. The 2021 Top Employers have been announced and the CSIR was recognised as a Top Employer in the country.

Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better work environment and exhibits this through excellent human resources (HR) policies and people practices.

The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Well-being and Diversity and Inclusion and more.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an entity of the Department of Science and Innovation, today unveiled a refreshed brand and positioning statement as part of its strategy to intensify its impact on society.

Recently adopted by the organisation, the strategy is aimed at amplifying the ‘I’ in ‘CSIR’, to intensify its focus on industrial development and a more aggressive quest for impact, in keeping with the organisation’s mandate to improve the quality of life of all the people of South Africa.

In a rigorous journey that unfolded over the past two years, the CSIR has worked with its stakeholders to define a new vision for itself, guiding how the organisation must fulfil its mandate in the context of South Africa’s current challenges.

The CSIR vision is supported by a new mission, objectives and values, which are the building blocks of the refreshed CSIR brand.

South Africa’s largest energy efficiency initiative, the SA Industrial Energy Efficiency Project, has won the highest international accolade for an energy programme – the International Energy Project of the Year – awarded by the global Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).

The award was accepted by national project manager, Alf Hartzenburg, of the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC-SA) at the AEE International Virtual Awards ceremony, held on Wednesday, 14 October 2020. AEE members and executives from around the world responded with enthusiastic accolades when the summary of the Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) Project’s achievements was read by the Chairperson of the awards committee. 

The IEE Project, which has been led by the NCPC-SA and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) since 2010, received the award in recognition of its efforts in transforming the energy use patterns in South African industry, and mainstreaming energy management systems across economic sectors. Since its first implementation projects in 2011, the IEE Project team has assisted industrial companies to save 6.5 TWh of energy, translating to cumulative cost savings of R5.3 billion in these companies.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) new research efforts towards providing alternative product and knowledge routes for the asphalt pavement industry are paying off. The intention has been to open up the industry and enable the inclusion of more players (job creation) and eventually engineer economical, yet better performing roads.

The CSIR has been focusing on locally available alternative additives that would be much cheaper than the conventionally imported additives, as well as creating sustainable use of recycled materials that have an economical benefit for the industry, while resolving an environmental challenge for the country.