The Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) Strategic Plan (2015-2020) outlines what the DST will do to help achieve this target. For the year 2015/16, for instance, the DST has a budget of R7 482 billion, of which 92,2% (R6,9 billion) is allocated to entities that report to the Minister of Science and Technology. Key funding priorities for the DST over the medium term include developing human capital, creating new knowledge, growing research infrastructure, and encouraging innovation by funding marketable products emerging from research and incubation. All these are essential elements of a policy framework to encourage other actors in the system of innovation to contribute to increasing the investment in R&D at appropriate levels.
The DST is working closely with National Treasury on plans on how the target can be achieved. Across government, there are a number of avenues for investment in science, technology and innovation activities through various departments, their entities as well as work they do with the higher education institutions. Another major part of the effort involves building partnership arrangements with the private sector and international partners that will help leverage further resources for R&D investment.