Address by Professor Blade Nzimande, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, on the occasion of the 23rd South African Women in Science Awards Gala Dinner, 20 August 2026, NH Hotel Sandton, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Programme Director;
Honourable Ms. Luziso Makhubela, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation; Mr. Thapelo Amad, MMC for Community Development; My Special Advisor, Mr. Nqaba Nqandela;
Our Science Expert, Dr Derrick Swartz;
Dr Mlungisi Cele, Director-General of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Our Esteemed keynote speaker, Dr Wiebke Hutiri; Heads of our Science and Academic Institutions; Representatives of industry and civil society;
The Children of Pro Keo Motaung, Reabetswe Mashing and Tshegofatso Motaung;
My special guests, Anele Mohoto and Alwande Mazeka and their teacher, Ms. Rose Gwambe from Georgetown high;
Distinguished guests;
Honoured nominees and award recipients; Researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs; Ladies and gentlemen of the media:
I am honoured to deliver this opening address at the 2026 South African Women in Science Awards.
It is perhaps fitting that I start by once again expressing our entire nation’s—profound congratulations to three of our country’s top female scientists.
These are Professors, Liesl Zühlke, Priscilla Baker and Karen Sliwa-Hahnl, all of whom received national and international awards for their contributions in various scientific fields. To these three phenomenal pioneers we say: thank you for elevating South African science on the world stage.
SAWiSA celebrates excellence across the natural, life, physical and engineering sciences; the humanities and social sciences; public engagement with science; and innovation for impact. These awards also help to strengthen the pipeline of future women scientists through fellowships for master’s and doctoral students.
As you may be aware, last year we lost one of our country’s most decorated black female scientists, Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung, or ProfKeo as she awas affectionately known. Prof Keo was a true pioneer whose revolutionary work in stem cells and regenerative medicine, with a strong emphasis on indigenous knowledge systems, has pushed the boundaries of modern African science.
We made a commitment to her family that we will ask our Director-General to go and explore a way in which she can be honoured.
I am proud to announce that we have decided to rename one of the categories as the DSTI-Prof Keolebogile Shirley Motaung Fellowship.
Secondly, we host these awards in August because we are acutely aware that there once was a time in our country when women, and Black women in particular, were excluded from education, science and economic opportunities by law and the tyranny of apartheid.
SAWiSA therefore also serves to honour the courageous struggles of South African women against racism, sexism, and related forms of discrimination, as well as to inspire young women to enter various STEM fields and for those already in science, to stay the course and continue working hard.
Grounded in this history, SAWiSA’s 2026 theme— “Placing Women at the Centre of Science, Technology and Innovation”—serves as a powerful reminder the historic past struggles of women for freedom and dignity cannot be separated from the contemporary struggles against structural inequality in our public science system.
Thirdly, guided by our 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation and the Science, Technology, and Innovation Decadal Plan for 2022–2032, our Department is not only expected to enhance our country’s science, technology, and innovation capabilities.
We are also required to be deliberate about using science, technology and innovation to address poverty, unemployment, and inequality, which include the exclusion and marginalisation of women and girls.
Therefore, to us as a Department, transformation is not a symbolic gesture, but a moral and strategic necessity. We must acknowledge the progress South Africa has made. Women now constitute 52% of the academic workforce and 47.7% of the national research workforce.
In 2024, women also accounted for 62.6% of total university enrolments. We institutionalized equity targets requiring at least 55% of postgraduate bursaries to be awarded to women and 80% to Black students.
In the 2025/26 financial year, 6 246 postgraduate students received bursary support, while 1 644 emerging researchers were supported, including 708 Black women emerging researchers.
We are also using our South African Research Chairs Initiative to drive the empowerment of women. Of the 198 operational Research Chairs as of April 2026, 104, or 53%, are held by women.
Notwithstanding this progress, the transformation journey remains incomplete. Women remain underrepresented in research leadership and critical STEM disciplines like engineering, computer science, and AI.
Early-career researchers face heavy structural barriers, from intense teaching loads to limited research time. Paradoxically, while women lead institutional research, female-owned tech enterprises face severe venture capital deficiencies.
To address this, our Department and our entity, the Technology Innovation Agency are steadfast in providing targeted seed funding, incubation, and venture capital for female-led technological enterprises.
Our objective is to empower women not just as high-calibre researchers and scientists, but as enterprise founders and industrial pioneers. Meaningful transformation cannot end with a published paper; it must extend into intellectual property, patents, and global market leadership.
This means that, the substance of the theme for SAWiSA 2026 must be seen in the significant increase of the participation of women and girls in STEM over the next 10 to 20 years.
In closing, I often make the point that, no nation can hope to achieve its national development goals if it fails to invest in building its scientific and technological capabilities.
Tonight, I wish to take this a step further and say: no nation can ever hope to reach its true potential if it excludes its women and girls from opportunities in science, technology, and innovation. My heartiest congratulations once again to all our phenomenal nominees, finalists, and award winners.
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