CSIR: driving inclusive growth and innovation - Dr Thulani Dlamini — CSIR CEO Dr Thulani Dlamini

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is committed to fostering inclusive growth in South Africa’s economy by enhancing the performance and competitiveness of its industries.

During its annual performance presentation, the organisation outlined key strategic goals aimed at achieving significant socioeconomic impact while ensuring sustainability as a leading research and innovation entity.

Promoting inclusive economic growth

Central to the CSIR’s mission is contributing to the inclusive growth of South Africa’s economy. By leveraging research and development, the organisation bolsters the competitiveness of South African enterprises, improves their sustainability and supports job creation. A key component of this strategy is the commercialisation of intellectual property developed at the CSIR, fostering the establishment of new enterprises that generate economic growth and societal benefits.

The CSIR emphasises the critical role of innovation in driving economic development. By engaging decision makers and stakeholders, the organisation ensures its capacity to deliver impactful solutions that address South Africa’s pressing challenges.

Strategic pillars and operational focus

The CSIR’s strategy, developed five years ago, is built on five pillars: collaboration-driven divisions and clusters, investment in human capital, modernisation of infrastructure, development of future-facing capabilities, and creation of an enabling support environment.

Human capital development: As a knowledge-driven entity, the CSIR places high importance on its people. Continuous investment in skills development ensures it remains at the forefront of innovation.
Infrastructure modernisation: To maintain world-class research capabilities, the CSIR is committed to upgrading its ageing infrastructure. This investment is vital to achieving cutting-edge research outcomes and fostering innovation.
Future-facing capabilities: The organisation prioritises staying ahead by developing capabilities in emerging areas of innovation, ensuring relevance and adaptability in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
Enabling support systems: The CSIR recognises the need for efficient and digitally enabled support systems, including IT, finance and operational infrastructure, to sustain its strategic objectives.

Transforming industries

The CSIR’s annual performance report cements its dedication to creating a capable state, transforming industries, driving economic growth and showcasing the role of innovation as a catalyst for sustainable development in South Africa.

The organisation has structured its operations into three divisions to drive innovation, promote collaboration, and address South Africa’s industrial and societal challenges. These divisions – Advanced Chemistry and Life Sciences, Advanced Production and Security, and Smart Society – are organised to leverage synergies within and across clusters, ensuring impactful solutions for industry, government and society.

The clusters work together to optimise internal collaboration, aligning technologies and research to strengthen industrial productivity and resilience.

Advanced Chemistry and Life Sciences

This division focuses on three critical clusters:

Advanced agriculture and food: Addressing future food security challenges through innovative agricultural practices and technologies.
Future production chemicals: Driving innovation in sustainable chemical production and industrial applications.
Next-generation health: Advancing healthcare solutions through research in pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and healthcare technologies.

Advanced Production and Security

This division emphasises sectors critical to the country’s economic and security infrastructure:

Manufacturing: Boosting industrial competitiveness through advanced manufacturing techniques and technologies.
Mining: Developing sustainable and efficient mining practices to support the resource sector.
Defence and security: Innovating in areas of national security, including cybersecurity and physical defence technologies.

Smart Society

The CSIR’s Smart Society division addresses cross-sectoral needs through three dynamic clusters:

Smart places: Focusing on the built environment, energy, water and environmental sustainability to create resilient urban systems.
Smart mobility: Improving the logistics and transportation sector by advancing technologies that enable efficient, integrated systems.
Next-generation enterprises and institutions: Supporting digital transformation across government, public institutions and private enterprises to maximise the benefits of technological advancements.

The clusters in this division transcend traditional sector boundaries, offering solutions that address multiple challenges, such as urban planning integrated with energy and water management.

Enabling collaboration across divisions

The CSIR’s organisational framework fosters synergy between divisions and clusters, ensuring complementary expertise is leveraged for greater impact. This environment positions the organisation to tackle complex challenges through innovative and integrated approaches, solidifying its role as a leader in South African research and development.

By aligning its divisions with industry and societal priorities, the CSIR continues to innovate, transform and contribute to South Africa’s sustainable growth.

Driving long-term impact and sustainability

The CSIR’s new strategy is underpinned by five strategic objectives designed to guide its efforts in achieving long-term impact and sustainability. These objectives are continuously assessed through key performance indicators (KPIs), which measure progress on both output and outcome levels.

Transformative technologies and diffusion: Conducting research and developing transformative technologies that will accelerate South Africa’s industrial advancement. The organisation aims to innovate and see these technologies diffused into applications where they can make a meaningful, lasting impact.
Contribution to industrialisation: Supporting the re-industrialisation of the country. It seeks to drive economic growth by advancing industrial development across several sectors to maintain global competitiveness.
Supporting the creation of a capable state: Fuelling a capable and efficient state through solutions that enable service delivery, good governance, sustainable development and overall national progress.
Investment in human capital and infrastructure: Recognising that innovation and long-term success depend on a skilled workforce and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Investment in these areas ensures relevance and sustained impact.
Diversifying income streams and ensuring financial sustainability: Focused on diversifying income streams to ensure financial stability and sustainability, including optimising existing resources and developing new opportunities to fund ongoing innovation.

These strategic objectives provide a road map for the CSIR to contribute to South Africa’s development while ensuring its own growth and longevity.