The Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, presided over a sod-turning event to celebrate the first day of construction of a R30 million science centre in the Eastern Cape. The event, which took place on 18 June 2016, formed part of an imbizo in the Cofimvaba area to raise awareness about the importance of science and technology in society.

The science centre, once completed, will assist 26 high schools with science and technology teaching in the area. Currently, these schools rely on a mobile science unit donated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Sasol. The Cofimvaba science centre is the first science centre in South Africa to be purpose-designed, with green science, technology and innovation used in the actual building.

The science centre has been designed to achieve beyond net-zero energy and water by selecting and combining technologies to maximise building performance. Similarly, the net-zero water design will see the building harvest more water than it uses – making it one of only a handful of buildings in South Africa where this can be achieved.

The Minister said the centre will be a "living lab", serving as a proof-of-concept in the building industry. She added that the centre would, apart from educational science programmes, also run ones designed for recreational and leisure purposes, showing that science can be enjoyed by all. Teachers and learners in the district and beyond will be supported in their lessons with a host of activities.

The centre will host a comprehensive science, engineering and technology career awareness programme to help guide the career choices of learners.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Enver Surty, welcomed the initiative to build the facility in the rural area, saying the Department of Basic Education had long been in partnership with the DST to improve the learning and teaching of science in the country.

At the imbizo the DST also hosted a two-day exhibition which was organise by SAASTA to expose young people and the community to careers in science, as well as practical demonstrations of how science is used in day-to-day life. The first day of the exhibition was held at the Cofimvaba Shopping Complex about four kilometres from the Cofimvaba High School.