INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS POLICY

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AREAS OF COLLABORATION AND POSSIBLE FUTURE
COLLABORATION IN IKS BETWEEN DAC AND DST

• Mogege Mosimege
• Indigenous Knowledge Systems Unit
• Department of Science and Technology

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IKS IN DACST

• Financial support of the First National Workshop
  on IKS held at University of North West in
  Mafikeng in September 1998
• Establishment of Ministerial task team to Draft
  Legislation and Policy on IKS in 1999 Team
  headed by Prof Catherine Odora-Hoppers
• Delegations by Task Team to India and China in
  1999 2000 to learn about IKS in the two
  countries
• Provision of ring-fenced funding to the NRF for
  research in IKS since 2000
• Establishment of Unit dedicated to IKS in the
  Science and Technology Branch of the Department
  of Arts, Culture Science and Technology in 2001

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KEY POLICY DRIVERS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT

• Affirmation of African cultural values in the
  face of globalisation
• Development of the services provided by
  Indigenous Knowledge Holders and Practitioners
• Contribution of indigenous knowledge to the
  economy
• Interfacing with other knowledge systems

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Key Driver 1 Affirmation of African cultural
values in the face of globalization Lead
Department Arts and Culture

• Redress
• The recognition and protection of indigenous
  knowledge and IKS in South Africa for cultural
  reasons .
• Knowledge institutions created during the
  apartheid era and before it are still in the
  process of being transformed to give expression
  to an African intellectual personality.
• The Policy seeks to creatively advance the course
  of IKS within the context of complex economic,
  social and cultural rights.

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Globalisation Role of DAC

• With South Africas re-entry into the global
  arena, there are both opportunities and
  challenges for the prudent management of IKS.
• An indicator of the serious effect of
  globalisation is the rapid attrition of language
  diversity across the world.
• IKS policy framework places great emphasis on the
  promotion of international linkages in IKS from
  the perspective of sharing best practice and
  commitment to common objectives

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POSSIBLE COLLABORATION IN MUSEUMS

• There are over 400 museums receiving public money
  in South Africa
• Museums are an entry point and collection area
  for most indigenous and local communities
  cultural history.
• The transformation of museums should include
  indigenous and local communities in research,
  interpretation and display of material.
• DST and DAC can work together to reflect and
  transform the role of museums with respect to IKS

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INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON IKS

• Interdepartmental Committee on IKS has been in
  place since 2002
• Department of Trade and Industry
• Department of Arts and Culture
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Health
• Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
• Department of Education
• Department of Foreign affairs
• Department of Land Affairs
• Department of Provincial and Local Government
• Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
• Department of Sports and Recreation
• Invitations have been extended to the Department
  of Communications and the Department of Minerals
  and Energy Affairs as recommended by Cabinet in
  November 2004

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF VARIOUS GOVERNMENT
DEPARTMENTS WITH RESPECT TO POLICIES AND
ACTIVITIES IN IKS

• DAC Folklore Traditional Music and Dance,
  Cultural Artifacts Language
• DOH Traditional Healing (Traditional Health
  Practitioners Bill)
• NDA Agriculture
• DEAT Biodiversity (Biodiversity Act)
• DTI Intellectual Property Commercial Activities
• DOE Curriculum Development and Implications
• DST Innovation Interfacing with other Knowledge
  Systems Advocacy Coordination of IKS Activities
  at Departmental Level, Nationally, and
  Internationally
• DPLG Governance of Traditional Leaders
  (Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework
  Bill)
• DFA Indigenous Peoples
• DLA Issues of Land
• DSR Indigenous Games
• DWAF Forests and related developments
• Importance of integration between different
  Departments - Interdepartmental Committee on IKS

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ROLE AND ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE

• Meet on average once in 3 months to discuss
  matters related to IKS
• Policies and Legislation that that are being
  developed by individual departments and make
  inputs At times distribute documents within
  departments and collate inputs. Examples
  Biodiversity Act (DEAT) IKS Policy (DST)
  Traditional Health Practitioners Bill (DOH)
• Make presentations on Departmental activities on
  IKS and identify possible areas of collaboration
  and support

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COLLABORATION IN THE AREA OF FUNDING

• DST and DAC jointly funded iIKSSA in the 2002
  2003 financial year
• IKS Funds at the NRF presently provided by DST.
  DAC may play a role in either committing to fund
  specific aspects
• Funding of individual projects in DAC and DST
• Some of the projects that have been funded by
  DST are
• Development of a National Programme for the
  Innovation of Indigenous Technologies (CSIR)
• Importance of indigenous knowledge in reducing
  poverty in rural agragrian households (HSRC)
• Research and Development Initiative Herbal
  Medicines Manufacturing Commercialization
  Facility for Poverty Alleviation Projects (MRC)
• Female Leadership Principles in Southern Africa
  The cosmology of the Modjadji Queenship (Kara
  Heritage Institute)