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Pandor: Govt to protect traditional knowledge

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Nov 20 2009 15:56

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Government was taking steps to utilise innovative traditional knowledge, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor said on Friday.

"[We] are to make a big deal around scientific exploration in indigenous knowledge," Pandor told a conference on intellectual property rights in Johannesburg.

"Indigenous knowledge is a key part of our innovation technology."

Pandor said that private companies in Europe had exploited knowledge gained by publicly-funded research in South Africa, including around solar panels.

She said the process needed to be reformed so that the South African economy and its people were able to take advantage of the innovations.

"In Germany every new house is built with solar panels," said Pandor.

"It's a joke, they hardly have 10 days of sunshine a year!"

"How ... with so much sun do we not have solar panels in our houses?" she asked.

Pandor said that while South Africa had many advantages it was facing a gap in innovation.

CONTINUES BELOW

"I cannot understand a how a country as endowed as ours ... why we should be behind Tunisia in innovation," she said.

"Aids is our pandemic. Why are we not responding to it here? Why are we not making ARVs here?"

Pandor was questioned by the audience on issues such as intellectual property rights in India and China and government assistance to new companies.

One person asked if adherence to intellectual property rights, of which South Africa is among the best performers, was not holding back economic development.

He pointed out that China and India's flagrant violations of intellectual property had helped build the economies of those countries.

"We need to be cautious about comparing ourselves to China," Pandor warned.

She said that China's size, and its population of more than a billion people, meant that it could do things that relatively small South Africa could not.

"We need ambition but not ambition such as Macbeth which would kill us all," said Pandor.

Award-winning industrial designer Bernard Smith told the minister that while government had recognised his company in its "Top 100", promised assistance did not arrive and his company was now bankrupt.

Pandor gave Smith her details and promised to investigate. She added that it was important for government to extend its support beyond initial awards.

"The Top 100 identifies successful entrepeneurs ... but we don't look at whether their success is being sustained."

Pandor also promised that her department would work with all issues raised by the private sector. However, she begged the audience to take up their problems with civility without insults and aggression.

"We'll I'm afraid that I think that approach does not encourage communication. Nobody likes being called daft." -- Sapa

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I would like to make an entry in your "traditional knowledge" encyclopedia that: "It is NOT WISE to buy two Mercedes Benz ML350's with state funds while the rest of the country is in a recession." Deriding the Germans' efforts at trying to be environmentally concious while importing two vehicles all the way from there..... so f*cking rich coming from Minister Pandor.

Marius de Kock on November 20, 2009, 4:17 pm

There have been quite a few awesome breakthroughs in South Africa. Unfortunately, these people leave the country, as soon as they get the gap. Neutrino's were first detected in South Africa. Or the process to extract oxygen from Iron Oxyde (moon dust).

The clever people cant wait to leave South Africa :(

Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 20, 2009, 4:43 pm

@Sinudeity... Not true. If you follow the link you will find the story of Hennie Botes who founded Moladi. He loves this country and would love to help build houses. The reality is that he has built more houses outside the country than in it. He is from the Eastern Cape. He invented his system to solve the problem. I'll let you guess why it's not happened here.

http://moladi.blogspot.com/2009/06/mens-health-best-man-awards-2009.html

Marius de Kock on November 20, 2009, 6:07 pm

Thanks for the info Marius.

Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 21, 2009, 7:23 am

http://www.moladi.net

Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 21, 2009, 7:24 am

Sinudeity, I am aware that not all of us will agree on all issues but I must be able to acknowledge your abilities and successes much as I must help you admit your shortcomings. I have observed your positive and otherwise contributions over time now and believe that you also have a role to play in building Mzansi. This goes for you too Appoccalypse. Admit that we are all branding our country either good or bad. I choose good branding and constructive criticism ... Like Julius Malema.

nonathemba rose mahlangu on November 21, 2009, 9:44 am

South Africans and knowledge are total opposites - who cares about your traditional issues. Take a bow you useless imbecile

on November 21, 2009, 12:14 pm

South Africa is not a technology colony...

Dear Naledi

Please note this sustainable green building method demonstrated years ago is available here in 53 languages...

including English Xhosa and Afrikaans

http://www.internafrica.org/2005/05/how-to-build-cannabrick-home.html

Since the above demonstration many other countries are building with this African demonstrated technology

http://www.internafrica.org/search/label/GCH

Intern Africa on November 21, 2009, 12:33 pm

nonathemba rose mahlangu "I choose good branding and constructive criticism ... Like Julius Malema" There is nothing wrong with a little good branding but fcuk me, Julius Malema, you cannot possibly be serious. Personally I think you were just pulling the piss a bit. So, in view of that I have allowed myself a gentle chuckle. However, if you reply that you were being dead serious, I will have to go back to lying in the fetal position and whimper for the rest of the week for this country.

Apocalypse Now on November 22, 2009, 2:21 pm

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