Bisho - Robust research inputs from South Africa's academic and research institutes are needed to better the lives of people by delivering quality social services.
"There is growing urgency for us to work together to better the lives of our people by delivering quality social services and limiting the harmful socio-economic conditions that give rise to poverty and social exclusion," Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Thursday.
Speaking at the University of Fort Hare during the unveiling of the Centre for Social Policy and Local Government Studies, Minister Skweyiya said the centre was a critical undertaking for a country like South Africa, which is still faced with huge challenges of underdevelopment and multi-faceted poverty.
He noted that in tackling this challenge, the role of research was both relevant and critical, adding that the university was expected to continue nurturing future leaders and scholars to ensure the attainment of the vision of an Africa free from poverty.
"The fact that this centre, with its initiative that seeks to link research to decision making through policy choices, has been started and will be driven here at the University of Fort Hare, carries a strong symbolism that has not been lost to our government," he said.
He further noted that the challenge of poverty and underdevelopment facing the country also presents itself in the Southern African Development Communities region and in many countries in the African continent.
"As we advance our transformation agenda, we need to look at the social development experiences and achievements in the post-colonial period of some of the countries in the African continent.
"Many of our fellow nations invested in education, health, infrastructure and other policy choices that ensured the reversal of some of the socio-economic outcomes of the colonial era," he said.
It was a valid fact, he said, that African universities have produced eminent scholars and academics that were internationally recognised.
The minister said in South Africa it was important to keep the bridge between academic and research institutions strong and open.
"One of the questions we should be asking is what relevant lessons we can learn from the countries in the African continent that shared similar challenges at independence," said the minister.
He also challenged the country to explore and study closely the social policy and social development lessons from beyond the borders of the African continent.
"We are not the first country, region or continent to tackle the kind of challenges that our people face every day of their lives, Latin America, East Asia, South Asia, Scandinavia and some examples in Europe offer important lessons and experiences on how to deal with the human and social development challenge.
"Our expectation is that the centre will amass these many lessons and experiences and assist us in choosing and adapting to our context the best policies and practices.
"We do not seek to advocate the wholesale importation of solutions and practices from other countries or regions of the world. We must consider our own social and economic context," Minister Skweyiya said.
