Chairperson, hon members, distinguished guests, friends and family, I thank all of you for joining us for this very important debate. It is important because science and technology holds great opportunity and vast potential for our nation and our continent. I was thrilled that the theme of Parliament's focus for 2012 is "The knowledge economy and development opportunities". In line with your theme, we chose our theme for this year to be "Innovation for development and socioeconomic change". I had hoped to be able in this budget speech to inform members of the final decision regarding the site and location of the Square Kilometre Array. We do not have much that is new to report at this time. As members are aware, the bidding countries submitted all the required technical information and we are impatiently awaiting the outcome of what we hope will be a final site consideration meeting on 25 May. We repeat our conviction that Africa is ready to host the SKA and express our thanks and admiration to the SKA project team for their hard work. We also thank all those who supported South Africa and Africa's bid.
The work that we do gives effect to several key imperatives that will advance socioeconomic development in its many dimensions. We are taking action on the following: We intend to build robust institutions that are world-class in research achievement. We intend to create the human capital and employment opportunities that will excite our young people and give them a role in shaping a new, innovative society. We intend to establish and support a thriving small and medium-sized enterprise core that relies on innovators, research institutions and risk takers to create jobs, new products and new processes. We intend to strengthen productive links between the public sector research bodies, industry and the private sector. This is the vision that we hope to share with you today.
We pursue this vision in a context defined by three somewhat contradictory characteristics. First, we are fortunate to have very able, world-class researchers in a range of disciplines in our country. Of course, we need to expand the number of these researchers and to ensure that more women and black people play a full role in research and innovation. However, we have a great base on which to build.
Second, while in comparison to many developing and emerging economies we devote significant resources to research, development, and innovation, we are not allocating the resources necessary to ensure that our ambitious goals of growth and employment are achieved.
Third, as members are aware, our government has committed itself to building a strong research development community. However, this commitment is bedevilled by the absence of effective co-ordination and purposeful collaboration within government and in research-performing institutions. We must decisively address co-ordination and purposeful collaboration. Working in silos is destroying our potential.
We would like to set before you the steps that we would like to take to address some of the challenges and opportunities that we have identified. Before I do that, however, allow me to introduce to you some important young people who are in the public gallery this afternoon. In the public gallery we have Olga Mathebula, a BSc graduate in computer science from the University of Limpopo. She graduated in 2009 and has been unemployed since then. We have Precious Rabali, a BSc graduate in environmental sciences from the University of Venda, who graduated in 2010 and has been unemployed since then. We have Daisy Thononda, a BSc graduate in biodiversity and conservation biology from the University of Venda in 2009. She obtained an honours degree in 2010 and has been unemployed since graduation. [Interjections.] We have Phuti Meletla, a BSc graduate in agricultural management from the Tshwane University of Technology, who graduated in 2006 and has been unemployed since then. [Interjections.] We have Isaac Phiri - before you interrupt, hon member, listen - a BSc graduate in computer science and mathematics from the North West University. He graduated in 2008 and has been unemployed since then. Could those five young people stand up so that we can see them? Thank you very much. [Applause.]
These five young graduates, who have been seeking work since graduation, have become part of our first cohort of 50 interns who have been accepted into a year-long science and technology graduate internship programme, in partnership with the Da Vinci Institute and the Technology Top 100 companies. [Applause.] These companies have enthusiastically supported our initiative to give young graduates work experience and the opportunity to learn entrepreneurship skills from successful technology companies. I hope this programme will grow and offer increasing numbers of graduates the opportunity to acquire skills and experience. I am appalled at the talent that is going to waste in our country ... HON MEMBERS: Hear! hear!