South Africa held R&D spending steady relative to the economy in 2023 to 2024, with universities driving growth and foreign partners adding support. The HSRC’s annual survey for the science department reported nominal GERD of 43.413 billion rand, equal to 28.621 billion rand in 2015 prices, a 1.3% rise year over year, while GDP grew 0.8%. The R&D to GDP ratio stayed at 0.62%. Government remained the largest funder at 21.847 billion rand or 50.3%, followed by business at 12.033 billion rand or 27.7% and foreign sources at 8.106 billion rand or 18.7%.
Higher education posted the strongest spending gains as researcher numbers rose. Business devoted 45.8% of its R&D to financial and business services, 29.9% to manufacturing, and 10.5% to mining. Applied research made up 49.5% of national spend, with firms putting in 9.059 billion rand, while universities led basic research at 8.278 billion rand. Medical and health sciences ranked first at 10.578 billion rand, ahead of social sciences at 6.855 billion rand and engineering at 5.760 billion rand. Gauteng accounted for 40.2% of the spend, the Western Cape 27.9%, and KwaZulu-Natal 10.0%. Women reached 47.7% of researchers.
Higher education posted the strongest spending gains as researcher numbers rose. Business devoted 45.8% of its R&D to financial and business services, 29.9% to manufacturing, and 10.5% to mining. Applied research made up 49.5% of national spend, with firms putting in 9.059 billion rand, while universities led basic research at 8.278 billion rand. Medical and health sciences ranked first at 10.578 billion rand, ahead of social sciences at 6.855 billion rand and engineering at 5.760 billion rand. Gauteng accounted for 40.2% of the spend, the Western Cape 27.9%, and KwaZulu-Natal 10.0%. Women reached 47.7% of researchers.
