On us: Is South Africa ready?

making. One national support facility in the digital space is the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC). The CHPC is one of three primary pillars of the national cyberinfrastructure intervention supported by the department of science and technology. High-performance computing (HPC) combined with machine learning and AI presents opportunities to non-traditional industries.

The next big component of the FIR is advanced manufacturing. A number of these technologies, for example, 3D printing, laser welding and advanced joining, are already well established in this space, but it is predicted that they will become increasingly more pervasive in manufacturing and also more integrated in products of the future.

The CSIR has just started a nanomicro manufacturing initiative that researches the integration of multiple technologies and defines whether new product types can be manufactured with them. South Africa is currently the leader on the continent in terms of national readiness to adopt and implement these technologies and these could, in turn, have a significant impact on national competitiveness, export potential, job creation and economic transformation.

One example of our additive manufacturing platform is the development of Aeroswift, an example of industrial-scale additive manufacturing using metal 3D printing and laser welding. The machine is currently the largest of its kind globally and is designed to be scalable. Development has mostly been with titanium alloys to enable additive manufacturing for lightweight aerospace components.

Cybersecurity becomes an everincreasing necessity for future manufacturing platforms and business systems. One only needs to think of the personal information breach to realise the importance of protecting data. The CSIR has developed a cybersecurity roadmap that examines several parallel research and innovation streams, ranging from securing information and communications technology, systems, blockchain technology — which facilitates secure online transactions feasibility in the South African context — to identity management. The high-tech focus in this strategy will promote local solution development and implementation. This means local solutions for local problems and less reliance on international suppliers for national security.

Autonomous and mechanised mining can have a significant impact in extending the useful life of many of our gold and platinum mines, as well as the productivity of these mines, which in turn will have a significant impact on Gross Domestic Product. The immediate criticism is that mechanisation will lead to job losses, but the counterargument is that doing nothing will affect 200 000 jobs in the not-too-distant future.

The immediate focus is extending the useful life of mines through improved and safer extraction methodologies. Again, development in this area represents a significant technology and services export opportunity into the continent and internationally as well as job creation and industrial development locally.

The CSIR’s mandate seeks to ensure that these developments have a positive impact on the lives of South Africans. This is done through a full value chain and product life cycle approach to supporting South African industry to become and remain competitive, and contribute to national growth.

Whether you prescribe to the notion of the FIR or not, there is no doubt that the nature of industry is changing rapidly. For the country to respond, the national system of innovation must pull together to ensure that our industrial sectors remain competitive. This will require a host of partnerships within and between research bodies, industry and government. This will create a competitive ecosystem for the adoption of new and competitive technologies, and ultimately, the development of the industrial sector as a whole.