Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina: World Intellectual Property Organisation -SA Summer School

Programme Director,
Representatives from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO),
Representatives of the Japan Patent Office (JPO),

Representatives of the KZN Tourism and Film Authority,
Colleagues from the Departments of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic),
National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO),
Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC),
Leadership and staff of Mangosuthu University of Technology,
Distinguished guests,

Importantly, our young professionals and future leaders.

Good evening. It is a great honour to join you at the official opening of the 17th WIPO South Africa Summer School on Intellectual Property and Transfer of Technology. This longstanding programme has become a flagship initiative on the African continent and one that continues to nurture a new generation of intellectual property (IP) practitioners, technology transfer officers, innovators, entrepreneurs and policymakers.

South Africa is proud to be one of the earliest African countries to host a WIPO Summer School, and one of the few nations selected globally to do so on an annual basis. We value this opportunity to contribute to a continental programme that supports young professionals from across Africa to build the skills needed for effective IP management, technology transfer and the translation of research and ideas into public value and socio-economic benefit.

South Africa has just emerged from a historic and successful G20, which took place for the first time in Africa, the Cradle of Humankind, to affirm our common humanity. Driven and convinced by our African spirit and philosophy of UBUNTU, “I am because we are”, which teaches, as President Ramaphosa (2025) stated, that progress is not a solitary pursuit but a shared endeavour, and that to go fast, go alone, but to go far, go with others. South Africa decided to go with others.

The G20 Declaration on research and innovation stated the following:

“We welcome the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group and reaffirms the importance of promoting vibrant international partnerships in science, technology and innovation. We reiterate that research and innovation should be an enterprise that actively promotes the participation of women and girls in STEM, and reduces global inequalities and asymmetries in the access to and production of knowledge”.

Intellectual property is no longer for the elite or a specialised subject tucked away in legal offices. It is now a core enabler of economic competitiveness, industrial renewal and inclusive innovation. In a country with so many inspiring and creative young people, with strong scientific base and growing entrepreneurial activity, IP is the currency that converts those ideas into economic and social value.

Too often, our young innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs, especially those in townships, rural areas lose ownership of their ideas simply because they were not empowered with the knowledge to protect them. In this regard, they lose opportunity to make huge incomes and sustainable livelihood through stolen ideas that were developed but not protected. This is why we believe a programme like this Summer School is helping us to change this by expanding access to IP education, developing capability and ensuring that emerging innovators are empowered to secure and benefit from their own intellectual property.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Decadal Plan is clear, if South Africa, and indeed Africa, is to be globally competitive, we must strengthen the entire innovation value chain, from basic research and development to IP education and protection. This should go all the way to commercialisation and industrial scaling.

In this context, government is driving South Africa’s broader efforts to build an inclusive, capable and future-ready National System of Innovation (NSI).

The Departmental mantra calls for a strong focus on placing Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) at the centre of government, education, industry and society. Empowering society through information sharing and education, is central to our mandate. Tonight’s gathering speaks directly to one of the Decadal Plan’s most important cross-cutting enablers, human capability development.

Within government, we recognise that the future competitiveness of our economy depends on:

• a stronger pipeline of technology transfer professionals,  
• IP managers who understand global protection systems,
• young scientists and engineers who can navigate the interface between research and industry, and
• entrepreneurs who can unlock the value of their inventions.

We therefore have a huge responsibility to play a critical role in strengthening the above pipeline, throughout the country targeting the next generation of young people. As part of planting the seed for tomorrow’s generation of technology transfers professionals, scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs the Department will want to cascade training and information to our science centres and innovation hubs.

Additionally, we have a responsibility as government, in particular as the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation to ensure that intellectual property education is accessible to all. Our dedicated outreach programmes on patents, trademarks, copyrights, patents, plant breeders’ rights and related IP matters must reach far beyond formal institutions. This knowledge cannot be for elites only, it must extend to grassroots innovators, township entrepreneurs and young people in rural communities who often create value without ever benefiting from it.

One of the areas we want to focus on as the Department is patenting indigenous knowledge system (IKS). Our indigenous knowledge, traditional herbs, medicines, heritage assets and other indigenous wealth must be registered, and communities must own the IPs. This is important to us as some can still be commercialized by rural people for livelihood.

We will need to work on fostering cross-border collaboration among emerging leaders in technology and IP.

Ladies and gentlemen, in the era where disruption through new innovations driven by 4th industrial revolution and Artificial Intelligence, patenting is fundamental and must occupy a central role to our work.

The role of universities working in partnerships with government cannot be over emphasized.

As part of our mandate to strengthen South Africa’s National System of Innovation (NSI), the DSTI is proud to support this programme that aligns directly with our policy priorities on innovation, technology transfer, and commercialisation of research outputs. The DSTI through NIPMO has financially supported this programme from inception and this support is expected to continue.

Allow me to acknowledge the National Intellectual Property Management Office the implementing office of the IPR Act and a central pillar of our innovation ecosystem. Their work ensures that publicly funded research is identified, protected, utilised and commercialised for the benefit of all South African. Through the OTT Support Fund, the IP Fund and training programmes, the Department is strengthening technology transfer capacity and capability at universities and science councils.

These investments are already enabling institutions to generate more disclosures, more intellectual property rights, more licenses and more spin-off companies.

In this regard, I want to congratulate Mangosuthu University of Technology as a host institution, including provision of academic leadership, and coordination. The vested interest within which MUT has in this programme brings hope to our call for institutions of higher learning to raise their stakes in leading in these important areas and help us to build a strong ecosystem, the one that will be sustainable.

I am informed that over the past 17 years, the majority of previous participants have gone on to lead IP portfolios, manage technology disclosures, negotiate licensing deals, and support the commercialisation of high-impact research innovations. Several alumni of this summer school now participate in international IP networks, contribute to policy development, and serve as mentors for new entrants in the field. This is commendable and demonstrates the efficacy of this programme

To the young professionals gathered here this evening:

You stand at the forefront of Africa’s emerging knowledge economy. The expertise you build through this programme will shape the intellectual property landscape of your countries, your institutions and our continent as a whole. Your skills will help protect ideas, unlock new ventures, accelerate commercialisation and strengthen innovation ecosystems wherever you serve.

As government and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation we recommit ourselves to continue supporting these efforts. We will continue investing in programmes that expand access, deepen capability and empower young people to be creators, not only users, of intellectual property across Africa and beyond.

May this programme inspire you, challenge you and equip you to take up your rightful place as future leaders in the global knowledge economy.

In this regard, I want to thank Mangosuthu University of Technology again for hosting this important WIPO summer school and wish well for all the attendees the best of luck!

Thank you.

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