Blade Nzimande’s department spends most of its budget fighting COVID-19
The Department of Science and Innovation is taking a major step towards fighting COVID-19.
It’s budget for 2021/22 has been increased to R8.9 billion, much of it will go towards scientific efforts to help combat the epidemic.
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande held a media briefing on Tuesday followed by the department’s Budget Vote presentation in Parliament.
The department has spent R69.4 million on funding COVID-19 research and innovation and will be investing R25 million more.
“We’ve invested R25 million more to ensure the completion of sequencing of 10,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes. This work and many others will be crucial in shaping the country’s ongoing response to the pandemic.”
Minister Nzimande said the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research had been allocated R978 million, the Human Sciences Research Council got R314 million and the South African National Space Agency (Sansa) had been allocated R202 million.
He said Sansa remained the pride of the nation and it had been selected as one of two International Civil Aviation Organization’s designated Regional Space Weather Centres.
“By 2024, we’re expected to ensure a fully operational space weather capability that meets ICAO requirements as well as advanced research capabilities in the space weather field.”
-EWN
In other news – Sphelele Makhunga pregnant, husband Itumeleng Khune confirms – Photo
Footballer Itumeleng Khune and his wife Sphelele are extending their family. The Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper has a beautiful baby girl with wife Siphelele Makhunga and now the couple has another bun in the oven.
Fans had been suspecting that Mrs Khune is pregnant when her goalie husband posted a picture of the two of them and their baby Amo on her first safari visit but after some congratulatory messages, Learn More
