One of the technologies President Cyril Ramaphosa interacted with during a recent visit to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was the Oceans and Coastal Information Management System (OCIMS) digital platform developed by the CSIR.
The President was hosted by the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande when he toured several facilities at the CSIR on Tuesday 8 April.
Ramaphosa was told that OCIMS enables South Africa to monitor, protect, and sustainably manage its extensive coastal and oceanic zones through real-time, data-driven insights.
The initiative is led by Dr Lulama Wakaba, Executive Cluster Manager of the Next-Gen Enterprises and Institutions Cluster. The initiative is a collaboration between the CSIR, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the South African Environmental Observation Network, and the South African Weather Service.
“Many people don’t realise this, but South Africa’s exclusive economic zone, our marine territory, is larger than our land mass. That gives us an extraordinary opportunity in the blue economy, which holds immense potential for GDP [gross domestic product] growth, job creation, and sustainable development,” Wakaba explained.
According to the CSIR, OCIMS is not just a data repository, but also an integrated, scalable system that forms the backbone of multiple research projects used by the state to manage and safeguard marine environments.
These range from coastal erosion monitoring and maritime traffic control, to harmful algal bloom forecasting, oil spill detection, and marine spatial planning.
By using satellite data, sensor networks, and intelligent analytics, the system ensures that South Africa’s coastal resources are preserved and fully utilised for economic benefits.
“What we’re showcasing is a living example of applied science. This system translates complex marine data into actionable insights that policymakers and environmental authorities can use to make informed decisions. It’s about turning scientific research into national impact,” Wakaba explained.
The importance of OCIMS is amplified by South Africa’s strategic position at the meeting point of two oceans, with more than 3 000 km of coastline.
The country’s location, combined with the rising threats of climate change and unsustainable exploitation, make the need for intelligent ocean governance urgent.
“For us, the real breakthrough lies in unlocking the power of science and innovation to support the state’s capacity to manage this frontier responsibly,” he said.
“From supporting marine biodiversity to bolstering economic development, OCIMS is a cornerstone in building resilient, knowledge-based ocean governance.”
The CSIR said having President Ramaphosa visit the exhibition was both a validation and a celebration of the platform’s significance.
“What we hope to communicate is the strategic power we can unlock when we take up the mantle of what the CSIR stands for, applying cutting-edge science and technology to our national priorities. In this instance, it’s the blue economy, a massive frontier that, if fully harnessed, can transform our country’s economic trajectory.”
The CSIR’s work on OCIMS also supports international obligations, including the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, climate resilience efforts, and commitments under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
It also provides South African citizens and coastal communities with tools to better understand and protect the natural wealth that surrounds them.
“Our oceans are not just scenic landscapes; they are vital economic assets and ecosystems,” he said.
“OCIMS is about equipping our country with the means to both care for and benefit from those assets responsibly and sustainably.”
The CSIR said OCIMS stands as a beacon of what is possible when innovation meets vision and when digital infrastructure is aligned with national imperatives.
During his visit, Ramaphosa hailed the CSIR as a “South African success story” as the institution marks 80 years since its establishment.
Amongst the CSIR’s technologies highlighted for Ramaphosa was its Information and Cybersecurity Research Centre, which supports the private and public sectors in aligning with the national cybersecurity policy framework through research and innovation in home-grown identity management, as well as cyber and information security solutions. This encompasses approaches to securely identify and safeguard individuals (cradle to grave) and systems (physical and digital) against vulnerabilities, threats and risks. The centre focuses on securing information, communication technology systems, combating cybercrime, cyberwarfare, identity management, embedded security, as well as governance, risk and compliance.
Another highlight was the CSIR’s Wind Tunnel facility, which provides scientific research and experimental foundation for the aerodynamic design efforts of the South African aeronautics industry. Testing in a wind tunnel simulates the flow environment encountered by an aircraft during flight. The tunnels, in order of test speed, are the seven-metre wind tunnel, the low-speed wind tunnel, the medium-speed wind tunnel and the high-speed wind tunnel. Numerous airframes have been tested in the CSIR’s wind tunnels, including subsonic types, such as gyrocopters, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles and supersonic airframes of high-speed missiles and projectiles flying at more than four times the speed of sound.
CSIR Chief Executive Officer, Dr Thulani Dlamini, emphasised the importance of the President’s visit to the organisation. “It is such an honour for us to host the President of the country. South Africa’s prosperity depends on our ability to innovate. We have the responsibility to ensure that the research, development and innovation emerging from our organisation translates into real and meaningful impacts, particularly in driving industrialisation and supporting a capable state. I am particularly pleased that the President shares our view that the CSIR has the capacity and the capabilities to do more to support the state.”
“Eighty years after our establishment, we continue to build on the legacy of this organisation. There is no doubt in my mind about the impact that the CSIR has made over the past eight decades and continues to make in South Africa. Several examples to mention include technologies for protecting cash-in-transit, the protection of our wildlife in the national parks, technologies that improve the design and performance of our roads, helping our country understand and respond to the impact of climate change, as well as providing low-cost broadband to rural communities and townships. More recently, I can highlight our efforts to support the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic by manufacturing over 18 000 ventilators that saved many lives. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the innovations we have done here at the CSIR,” added Dlamini.
“In government, we don’t use… the CSIR enough. You are a government owned entity, and you do a great deal of work for others in other countries. We have used you, and you have demonstrated that you are more than capable,” Ramaphosa said during his visit.
“We are going to have a special Cabinet session where [the CSIR] comes and outlines… precisely what you do and also give us insights on how we can use you. I can’t think of a better way of State capability [building] other than through science, technology and innovation,” he said.
The President further emphasised the institution’s critical role in building State capacity. “We are one of those countries where, at the advent of democracy, we deindustrialised. The manufacturing base in our country started receding and it is this that we now need to build back. [The CSIR] being the centre for industrial research, and who are so adept in a number of areas, can help us to address the challenges in relation to job creation, reducing poverty and also ensuring that there is inclusive growth,” Ramaphosa said.
