Marginalized Knowledge: An Agenda for Indigenous Knowledge Development and Integration with Other Forms of Knowledge

3. Methodology

The auditing of various documents on policies, strategic plans and legislation relating to Indigenous Knowledge was executed. The study targeted policies and legislation, structures and governance, centres and systems, programmes and activities, and research and documentation in South Africa. Ministry of science and technology (MoDST) is the government body that is responsible for policies and legislations on IKS. The study was largely qualitative, and hence applied non-probability sampling techniques. Different sampling techniques were used. Firstly, cluster sampling was applied. This technique is suitable when a researcher lacks a good sampling frame (Neuman, 2000: 209). There were five clusters, highlighted earlier in this section. It is from these clusters that we were able to apply the purposive sampling technique. The purposive sampling technique was applied to select centres/activities in the Ministry of Science and Technology and Arts and Culture that deal with IK. The centres/activities were drawn from the sampling frame provided by the Ministry of Arts and Culture. This largely formed a fair representation of cultural diversity and various levels of knowledge management development. Snowball sampling was used to enable us to connect with the key subjects through direct or indirect linkages for face-to-face interviews. Preliminary findings from face-to-face interviews provided in this report are by two management informants representing two institutions (i.e. Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of Arts and Culture (DAC)) and will be given in a summary due to time constraint.

Preliminary results indicate presence of IKS policy. For instance according to the Manager in-charge of Advocacy and Policy Development (APD) through the National Indigenous Knowledge Systems Office (NIKSO), there is the IKS policy which also serves as a white paper. There is still no specific law in regard to IKS but are in process of drafting new IKS legislation.
The directorate is nationally structured headed by a General Manager. It has 3 directorates each headed by a manager. The NIKSO partner/networks with other governmental departments such as:

• Trade and Industry (DTI);

• Arts and Culture (DAC);

• Department of Agriculture (DoA);

• Health (DoH);

• Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT);

• Education (DoE);

• Foreign Affairs (DFA);

• Land Affairs (DLA);

• Sports and Recreation (DSR);

• Provincial and Local Government (DPLG);

• Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF); and

• All their respective relevant statutory agencies (see IKS policy p: 27).
Various programmes and activities in relation to IKS are conducted. Examples of such are: National science week, priority setting workshop, regional SADC workshop, WIPO related workshop and Interdepartmental committee of WIPO.
On funding aspect the department deals with both organisations and individuals. Individuals should be attached to organizations or in partnership with organisations. Priority is accorded to organizations and ranking depends on the number of proposals received. Foreigners working in the country may also benefit from funding but foreign students may be considered through their supervisors.
The Deputy Director of Heritage, Department of Culture stated that they relied on the white paper but plans are under way of developing a policy on intangible cultural heritage. No act is yet available since they are still using the white paper.
The Department is headed and controlled by Deputy Director General and controlled at provincial level by Members of Executive Council of Arts and Culture (MEC’s), Head of Arts & Culture in partnership with Zululand, Fort Hare and Venda universities. Locally it is controlled by cultural desks.
Coordination is at national level with other departments such as DST, Trade & Industry, Health, and Education. Provincially they coordinate with House of traditional leaders while at local level with Zululand, Venda & Fort Hare universities.
The Department takes part in various programmes and activities such as:

• 
  Annual Heritage celebration (different theme every year)
  
• 
  Arts & Cultural competitions
  

The department coordinates resources on IK and has databases on IK. An example which is the register of oral sources whereby projects on various issues on IK can be accessed. National Archives controls the database whose access is restricted.

The department through finance management manages and controls the finding for IK and is restricted to organisations.