The Department of Science and Innovation (DST; formerly the Department of Science and Technology) is the South African government department responsible for scientific research, including space programmes. The current Minister is Blade Nzimande.[2]
Much of the department's work is ultimately carried out through various quasi-independent agencies (although still usually government bodies) including:
the National Research Foundation, which receives a substantial proportion of the DST budget to carry out various research support tasks, including supporting key national research infrastructure ("National Research Facilities"), scientific research grant administration and a student grant scheme;