South Africa’s CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) is the largest scientific and technological research, development and implementation organisation in Africa. It was constituted as a Science Council by an Act of Parliament in 1945.

• Mandate and Core Message

The CSIR fosters and supports industrial and scientific development, either by itself or in partnership with the public and private sectors, to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the people of South Africa. This is achieved through directed and multi-disciplinary research and technological innovation, in the national interest. The CSIR’s activities are based on uncompromising excellence and sustainability in all its business and processes.

• CSIR icomtek – one of the CSIR’s Business Units

The CSIR has eight operational units that are responsible for its research, development and implementation activities in order to provide technology solutions and information across a broad range of markets. CSIR icomtek is the business unit active in the fields of information, communications and space technology.

One of the core elements of the mission of CSIR icomtek is to stimulate the creation of an indigenous information, communications and technology (ICT) industry in South Africa. In fulfilling this objective, the CSIR has a policy of being vendor-independent and using best-of-breed technologies to solve customers’ problems and to develop state-of-the-art solutions. The CSIR is well placed to perform detailed investigations and analysis of various products and to provide independent advice on technology and product selection. It can assess the true value of technology whether it be commercial or open source, or based on proprietary, industry, or open standards.