Inclusive growth and job creation are not only aspirations, they are imperatives for South Africa.
In our pursuit of inclusive development, government’s strategic priorities must centre on poverty reduction, addressing the high cost of living and creating a capable, ethical, and developmental state. The urgency of inclusive growth cannot be overstated, and innovation must be at the heart of the effort.
I can affirm innovation is key to driving the agenda.
The question we must ask is: how do we achieve inclusive growth through innovation?
The book we recently launched, Innovation for Inclusive Development and Transformation in South Africa, particularly its chapter on inclusive development, aligns directly with government’s priorities, specially as articulated by the seventh administration.
However, this isn’t only about theory, it’s about action. What are we doing to support inclusive growth? More importantly, how do we tackle the issue of exclusion that continues to plague the country? Exclusion, whether along racial, gender or geographical lines, is where marginalised groups — youth, women and the unemployed — are denied meaningful participation in the economy. The exclusion manifests in many ways, from unequal access to technology and innovation opportunities to the barriers faced by people in rural areas compared to those in urban centres.
The hard reality is that South Africa ranks first globally in terms of inequality. While this might be seen as a disadvantage, it also presents an unparalleled opportunity for us to use innovation to address the disparities. No other country in the world faces the same scale of inequality, and this creates the perfect environment to think outside the box, applying innovative models to ensure marginalised groups, specially youth, are empowered to participate in the economy.
The department of science and innovation is committed to supporting this government priority. We are working on programmes designed to foster social entrepreneurship, such as our grassroots innovation programme which supports young people with innovative ideas, enabling them to develop the ideas into marketable technology products. This not only supports start-ups but also shifts youth from being job seekers to income earners through their innovations.
Take, for instance, drones. We are exploring inclusive models where unemployed graduates can use drones to provide vital services, such as identifying illegal dumping sites or monitoring water quality for municipalities. Such innovations create income-generating opportunities while fostering entrepreneurship.
We are also rolling out Living Labs, which are community-based innovation centres equipped with infrastructure such as 3D printers and prototyping machinery. The centres allow young people to collaborate on solutions to societal challenges, driving local economic development through innovation.
Our department is focused on removing barriers to innovation for marginalised groups. We will soon issue calls for technology transfers to SMMEs in different sectors, from ICT to e-waste management. The objective is clear: to create skills transfer, entrepreneurship and sustainable business opportunities for marginalised youth and women.
We also have initiatives aimed at addressing the needs of people with disabilities. We have supported young entrepreneurs in developing technologies to assist the deaf, such as online interpreters for use in police stations. This is one example of our efforts to ensure innovation benefits all South Africans.
However, innovation cannot exist in a vacuum. We must also focus on transforming existing sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, tourism and mining, by using innovation to create opportunities for marginalised groups. At the same time, we must harness new sources of growth, such as the digital economy, renewable and circular economy to empower youth-based businesses.
One untapped area is publicly funded intellectual property (IP) from universities. Often, the innovations remain locked away, inaccessible to entrepreneurs who could use them to start businesses. We are working to link entrepreneurs with this IP to create new commercial opportunities.
Furthermore, we are supporting the procurement of locally developed technologies through a technology acquisition and deployment fund, which helps municipalities and government departments adopt innovative solutions. This not only drives entrepreneurship but also opens up opportunities for young, tech-savvy SMMEs to participate in the economy.
Our work is far from done, but I believe we have laid the groundwork for real, measurable change. Innovation is the key to unlocking inclusive growth, and with the right people and partnerships, we can ensure no one is left behind. The seventh administration’s call for inclusive growth is a call to action, and we are answering it by putting innovation at the centre of our efforts. The future of South Africa depends on it.
Dr Tshepang Mosiea is the chief director of Innovation for Inclusive Development, department of science and innovation
This piece was originally published on TimesLive