Abstract:
This is the framework Document for SANAP. See all the relevant Documentes linked in this entry. The National Research Foundation (NRF) recognises that for South Africa to be internationally competitive and to meaningfully contribute to the global economy, the country must have the capability to understand the knowledge produced by others. This understanding can best be developed through performing research. Publicly funded basic and applied research is viewed as a source of new ideas, opportunities, methods, and most importantly, the means through which problem solvers can be trained.
The South African Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research Plan (2014-2024) serves to link South Africa’s comparative geographic and research advantage, regional stewardship, and national interest considerations to research themes to stimulate systems scale integration of knowledge and understanding. This will not only strengthen South Africa’s profile and develop advanced skills, but in so doing will also support the Country’s geo-political and citizenship goals in both regional and global dialogues. The importance of South Africa’s geographical proximity to Antarctica and its position as a Southern Ocean3 littoral State cannot be overstressed.
South Africa also maintains bases at Marion and Gough Islands, administered by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, (DFFE). Marion Island and Prince Edward Island together form the Prince Edward Islands Group, annexed by South Africa in 1947. Gough Island is a British protectorate which hosts the South African meteorological station, which operates as part of an agreement between South Africa and the United Kingdom.
The country runs the risk of not fully utilizing or maximizing the benefits from this geographic advantage, owing to a lack of adequate human capital. This includes the risk that that the country may own research platforms and facilities but could be subject to a form of “knowledge colonization” from international quarters, many of whom already possess a critical mass of requisite skills. The SANAP is a long-term funding instrument designed to ensure the creation of a demographically balanced Antarctic research programme that strives for internationally competitive research, promotes inter-disciplinarity and creates links with other African countries.
