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

4. Results

The following is an overview of IKS policies and legislations, structures, centres and systems, activities, and research trends encountered in the preliminary findings of the auditing process.

4.1 Legislation and policies
South Africa’s bid to promote, protect and preserve IK is demonstrated in various acts, policies and other documentation. For instance, the constitution (Act 108 of 1996) aims at appreciating promoting indigenous languages (see section on background of South Africa).
South Africa also has a well-established intellectual property framework in place (see table I below). Statutes are guided primarily by equivalent British and European Patent Convention legislation (Wolson, 2001: 3).

Source: Wolson, 2001: 3

The IKS policy, launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology, is the main driving force and guiding factor where IKS is concerned. This policy is an enabling framework designed to formulate and strengthen the contribution of IK to social and economic development in the country (IKS Policy, 2004: 11). The policy seeks to recognize, promote, protect and develop IKS on its own terms (NIKSO, nd: 3).

The Department of Arts and Culture has spearheaded a national language policy and is investigating the promotion and copyright of indigenous music and art forms. Traditional Health Practitioners legislation has been developed by the Department of Health and mandates the establishment of a regulatory body to be known as the Traditional Health Practitioners Council, that will preside over the activities of approximately 200 000 South African traditional healers (IKS Policy, 2004: 10). In addition, the department of Science and Technology, together with other government departments and stakeholders, embarked on the implementation of the policy while working closely with other departments, such as Trade and Industry, Health, and Environmental Affairs and Tourism. This was also highlighted by respondents interviewed. The three key deliverables that emerged from this process are a system of recording indigenous knowledge, an intellectual property system that reflects IKS, and the appropriate positioning of indigenous knowledge based businesses within small business development (IKS Policy, 2004: 5).

The Department of Agriculture, directorate of plant production, has a policy on indigenous food crops. This policy conceptualizes and proposes possible solutions with regard to agricultural issues.

2.