Minister launches SA-Swiss chair at UCT
It aims to remedy the paucity of African data available on environmental health, and will study the relationship between chemical exposure, climate change and health in the Western Cape. The Research Chairs Initiative is one of the government's key interventions against brain drain. "If we don't have research infrastructure ... our scientists will leave to work elsewhere," said Pandor.
It was launched by the Department of Science and Technology in 2006, with the aim of promoting scientific research and training the next generation of scientists. It has invested R870m in creating about 150 research chairs and leveraged another R1.7bn from industry.
More research chairs are in the offing. Three are planned with the UK, and talks are underway with Germany.
"The impact of environmental exposures (poses) significant public-health problems," said UCT co-chair Aquiel Dalvie.
"Reducing (it) is crucial for sustainable development," he said.