Blade banks on working group on US funding cuts

SCIENCE, Technology and Innovation (STI) Minister Blade Nzimande has announced a 12-member working group to advise him on the implications and impact of the recent withdrawal of funding by the US government from key research and development programmes in South Africa.

The group consists of some of the country’s prominent names in the sector including Universities’ South Africa chairperson Prof Francis Petersen, Stellenbosch University Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Professor Sibusiso Moyo, South African Medical Research Council chief executive Professor Ntobeko Ntusi and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) chief executive Dr Thulani Dlamini.

They will help analyse the impact and implications of the US withdrawal of funds to South African public research and innovation; analyse the current geo-political risks related to STI and how South Africa should position itself to deal with the current situation; and propose policy and strategic responses to enhance the long-term security and sustainability of the STI system and the role of the department.

“As stated in the Minister’s initial statement, the Working Group is expected to provide the Minister with its first draft report within four weeks after assumption of the task and the final report to the Minister is expected on June 30, 2025,” said the department.

The announcement of the group comes at a time South Africa was scrambling to fill the gap left by the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw its support for key research programmes in South Africa.

South Africa's years of research in HIV/ AIDS and TB could potentially be impacted as a result of the funding cuts.

The Cape Times reported this week that 39 TB and HIV clinical research sites in the country are under threat due to funding cuts by the US, placing at least 27 HIV trials and 20 TB trials at risk.

This was based on a recent joint analysis by Treatment Action Group (TAG) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the first to be conducted in an effort to map specific trials and clinical research sites related to HIV and TB that are at risk due to the US funding cuts.

Cape Times