Dr Bethuel Sehlapelo

Bethuel’s professional training and involvement in innovation spans almost two and a half decades. He obtained a BSc degree from the National University of Lesotho, a MSc degree from Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada) and a PhD degree from the University of Natal (Pietermaritzburg) in the early 1990s.

An appointment as a lecturer in chemistry at the University of the North (Now University of Limpopo) was followed by a two-year postdoctoral stint at University of Cape Town.

He later worked as an industrial researcher at a Denel division, culminating in taking up responsibilities as a R&D manager. Dr Sehlapelo subsequently joined the CSIR (Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research) in a business development capacity before proceeding to join the Department of Science and Technology (DST) as General Manager – a responsibility that entailed the development and implementation of the National Research and Development Strategy’s Technology Missions. Bethuel is currently a Group Executive (Deputy Director General) for the Human Capital and Knowledge Systems Programme at the DST and is responsible for providing leadership in long-term, emerging and cross-cutting research and human capital development in the South African Innovation System

Bethuel serves as a member on a number of boards and committees, including the board of Mintek (Council for Minerals Technology), National Laser Centre, South African Council for Space Affairs, Satellite Application Centre and the University of the Free State. He served as the acting Chair of the Board of Centre for Public Service Innovation and is the current Chair of the bursary Section Committee at the South African Institute of Race Relations.