Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina: Opening address at South African Women in Science Awards
Programme Director, Ms. Sakina Kanwendo,
Executive Mayor of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Cllr Gregory Nthlatsi,
Premier of the Free State, Ms. Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae;
Chairperson of our Portfolio Committee on STI, Ms. Tsakane Shiviti.
Programme Director, Ms. Sakina Kanwendo,
The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule;
Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ms. Maggie Sotyu;
Ambassadors and High Commissioners.
Representatives from the G20 member countries,
Our esteemed guest speaker, Dr Nomakwezi Mzilikazi.
The Director-General of the Department, Dr Mlungisi Cele.
Representatives of the late Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri;
Representatives of L’Oréal South Africa.
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
It is both an honor and a privilege to welcome you to the 2025 SAWISA. I am excited to be with you tonight as we gather to celebrate the achievements and contributions of South Africa’s women researchers and scientists. These remarkable individuals continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation, enriching our understanding of the universe, our society, and ourselves. Their work demands exceptional talent and dedication, and tonight we celebrate that excellence.
The 2024 STI Indicators and Facing-the-Facts Reports reflect South Africa’s steady progress in advancing gender equity in science, technology, and innovation. Women’s representation in scientific publications has grown from 32% in 2005 to 43% in 2021, with female authorship steadily increasing. In public higher education, women now make up 50% of enrolments in science, engineering, and technology fields, and they graduate at higher rates than men, with Black women comprising 72% of that group.
Women also represent 52% of postgraduate students and 54% of graduates, although they remain a minority at the doctoral level. Women’s representation among R&D personnel has risen from 41% in 2006/07 to 48% in 2019. However, the representation of Black South African researchers remains disproportionately low, with only 17% currently holding NRF ratings. In TVET colleges, women account for 63% of enrolments and only 23% of artisans are women.
South Africa now ranks among the top countries in the world when it comes to gender equity in SET. All of this is thanks to the policies and programmes adopted since 1994 and believe that programmes such as SAWISA and our postgraduate funding policy played their role in this regard. For more than 10 years, the Department has been exceeding its annual target of having 55% of postgraduate students being women.
The biggest challenge going forward is getting more women in senior roles, such as the professoriate and research leadership. Focus should also go towards the confluence of gender and race, i.e. more black women in senior roles as the 2023 Facing the Facts report on women's participation in the NSI, indicate that women occupy only 30% of CEO positions and 25% of chairperson roles in public research institutions, and their representation in academia remains uneven, with just 32% of professors and 43% of associate professors being women.
In March this year, the DSTI hosted the NSI Transformation Summit, which resulted in a number of key resolutions and recommendations. These outcomes will be integrated into the Annual Performance Plans of the DSTI and its entities to ensure alignment with the broader transformation agenda.
This evening marks a significant milestone for the Department; we are here to celebrate 20 years of excellence and transformation in the STI landscape. Since its launch in 2003, SAWISA has become a cornerstone of the Department’s efforts to promote gender equity. Over the past two decades, more than 200 exceptional women have been honoured, many of whom have gone on to become mentors, leaders, and role models in their fields.
To commemorate this legacy, we are proud to launch a special publication titled 20 Years of Inspiring South African Women in Science.
This landmark booklet features the stories of 40 SAWISA alumnae, representing a rich diversity of disciplines, generations, and institutions. These women have broken barriers, uplifted others through mentorship, and reshaped the image of the contemporary woman in science. Their contributions continue to strengthen South Africa’s knowledge economy and global scientific standing.
This publication is more than a celebration, it is a strategic tool to reshape societal perceptions of gender and science, inspire systemic change across academia, research institutions, and industry, and amplify voices that have long been overlooked. It reaffirms our commitment to inclusion, representation, and transformation in STI.
I am especially delighted to welcome our distinguished guest speaker, Dr Nomakwezi Mzilikazi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Strategic Partnerships at Rhodes University. Dr Mzilikazi’s journey is deeply rooted in SAWISA’s history as she was the recipient of the inaugural SAWISA Doctoral Fellowship in 2003. Her inclusion in the commemorative publication is a powerful reflection of how this platform nurtures excellence and enables transformative careers in research and innovation.
SAWISA’s relevance continues to grow each year, with its impact amplified by rotating the hosting across provinces. This approach fosters national appreciation and celebrates outstanding women from each host region.
In line with this tradition, one of the categories in the 2025 SAWISA has been rebranded as the DSTI - Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri Fellowships, honouring the legacy of a trailblazer in education, science policy, and ICT development. Dr Matsepe-Casaburri was an advocate for the dignity of the underprivileged and the empowerment of the girl child through education. I would like to acknowledge the presence of her representatives this evening.
This year’s theme places women’s voices at the centre of the STI discourse. It calls for amplifying their stories to inspire systemic change, breaking gender stereotypes in STEM, creating inclusive spaces for innovation and leadership, and strengthening mentorship and visibility to support career progression. Adapted from UNESCO’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the theme aligns with global efforts to promote equity and inclusion in STEM.
The commemorative booklet has also inspired the launch of a dedicated SAWISA LinkedIn Alumni platform. This initiative aims to foster long-term connections, peer mentorship, and visibility of SAWISA winners as public science ambassadors. It will serve as a space to share opportunities, achievements, and collaborations, while enhancing impact tracking and alumni engagement.
Beyond celebrating excellence, SAWISA reaffirms government’s commitment to supporting women in STEM and building an inclusive research and innovation ecosystem. This year’s finalists, both emerging and established, have produced groundbreaking work across a wide spectrum of disciplines.
In the Humanities and Social Sciences category, their research addresses maternal health, justice, violence prevention, disability-inclusive health systems, and feminist and decolonial knowledge production. These contributions speak directly to the lived experiences of women and marginalized communities, advancing equity in education, healthcare, religion, and public policy.
In the Natural and Engineering Sciences category, finalists are advancing knowledge in pain science, paediatric critical care, genomics, plant pathology, and environmental chemistry. Their work responds to urgent national priorities such as sustainable agriculture, antimicrobial resistance, and clean technologies.
Equally impactful are the finalists in the Public Engagement with Research category, whose work in education, immunology, and public health is reshaping how science is communicated and applied for societal benefit. From pioneering literacy initiatives in indigenous languages to enhancing health communication around neglected diseases, these researchers are forging vital connections between science and society.
The new generation of scientists, the recipients of the DSTI-Dr Matsepe-Casaburri fellowships are conducting innovative research in cancer therapy, biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, climate psychology, and construction management. Their work is both locally grounded and globally relevant, addressing challenges such as green nanofertilizers, disease diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance, and the integration of artificial intelligence in hospital management.
What stands out most among all SAWISA finalists is their unwavering commitment to inclusive excellence. Many are mentoring the next generation, co-supervising postgraduate students, developing tools for science outreach, and championing ethical, community-engaged research.
As we celebrate the achievements of this year’s finalists, we also honour past SAWISA recipients who continue to make remarkable strides nationally and internationally. I am made aware that some are with us tonight. Among them is Professor Priscilla Baker, a proud SAWISA alumna, who was recently awarded the 2025 L’Oréal - UNESCO For Women in Science International Award for Africa and the Arab States. Her pioneering work in electrochemical microsensors for environmental and health applications is a testament to how national recognition through SAWISA can catalyze global scientific leadership.
Let tonight be more than a celebration, let it be a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to transformation, inclusion, and excellence in science. When we invest in women in science, we invest in the future of innovation, equity, and progress.
Thank you.
#GovZAUpdates
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
