Parliament, Thursday, 30 July 2026 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms Lusizo Makhubela, has congratulated all the finalists and winners across the 18 categories of the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South32 Awards, widely known as South Africa's "Science Oscars".
The awards ceremony was held simultaneously in a hybrid format at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and in Johannesburg under the theme Healthy Ageing.
The NSTF was established in 1998 as South Africa's largest multistakeholder non-profit organisation for science, engineering, technology and innovation. It serves as an independent voice that promotes collaboration and informs science and innovation policy. The NSTF-South32 Awards recognise outstanding contributions and honour individuals, teams, partnerships, and organisations whose exceptional achievements have advanced scientific knowledge, driven innovation, and contributed to societal and socio-economic development.
These awards also reflect the Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation's commitment to recognising, celebrating and supporting excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The NSTF-South32 awards also coincide with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation's National Science Month campaign, celebrated in July. This presents an important opportunity to promote public awareness and appreciation of the vital role that science, technology and innovation play in improving lives and shaping the country's future. The Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation supports these efforts by encouraging broader awareness among Members of Parliament, parliamentary staff, the scientific community and the public of the significant impact of research and innovation.
This year's awards ceremony was attended by finalists, sponsors, VIP guests and students participating in the NSTF Brilliants Programme, which recognises top-performing learners who achieved exceptional results in the 2025 Matric examinations, with an average pass rate exceeding 95% across their respective subjects. The broader science, engineering and technology community, as well as members of the public, were able to follow the event through a live broadcast.
The 2026 NSTF-South32 Award winners are as follows:
- Lifetime Award:
Prof Rachel Jewkes – Executive Scientist: South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC); Honorary Professor: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
Prof Tjaart Krüger – Full Professor, Department (Dept) of Physics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria (UP)
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Prof Musa Manzi – Associate Professor; Director: Seismic Research Centre, Wits.
Dr Edith Phalane – Manager: Pan African Centre for Epidemics Research (PACER), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg (UJ)
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Prof Topside Mathonsi – Associate Professor; Head of Dept: Information Technology, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)
Prof Marcia Mkansi – Dept of Operations Management; College Head: Research and Innovation, University of South Africa (UNISA)
Prof Sudesh Sivarasu – DSTI-NRF SARChI Chairholder: Biomedical Engineering and Innovation; Director: Biomedical Engineering Research Centre, University of Cape Town (UCT); Head: UCT MedTech laboratory
Prof Patricia Forbes – Full Professor: Dept of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, UP; Editor in Chief: American Chemical Society (ACS) Earth and Space Chemistry
Prof Llewellyn Padayachy – Professor and Head: Dept of Neurosurgery; Director: Brain Tumour and Translational Neuroscience Centre (BTC@UP), UP
Prof Fortune Ganda – Full Professor: Accounting; Head: Dept of Management Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economic and Financial Sciences, Walter Sisulu University (WSU)
Prof Malik Maaza – Full Professor and Senior Scientist, UNISA; UNESCO Africa Chair; Extraordinary Professor, University of the Western Cape (UWC)
Reel Life Food Security Programme, Reel Life NPC – Ms Claire Blanckenberg, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Cube Analysis and Rendering Tool for Astronomy (CARTA – Prof Rob Simmonds, Technical Lead: CARTA; Associate Director: IDIA; Professor: Dept of Computer Science, UCT
TextAugment Team – Prof Vukosi Marivate, Professor: Computer Science; Director: African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI); ABSA UP Chair: Data Science, UP
National Biodiversity Assessment 2025 Core Data Team – Prof Andrew Skowno, Associate Professor; Principal Specialist: National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA), South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI); Honorary Associate Professor: Biological Sciences, UCT
JENano Research Group – Prof Tien Chien Jen, DSTI-NRF SARChI Chairholder: Green Hydrogen; Head: Dept of Mechanical Engineering Science; Director: Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Research Centre, University of Johannesburg (UJ)
AlrSynQ Systems (Pty) Ltd – Prof Bruce Mellado, CEO: AIrSynQ; Executive Director: The South African Consortium of Air Quality Monitoring (SACAQM).
Prof Mike Bruton – Professional Science Communicator: Mike Bruton Imagineering, MTE Studios and formula D.
Advancing Knowledge NPC – Prof Shaheed Hartley, Director and CEO
Team Prof Kathleen Kahn and Prof Stephen Tollman – Prof Kathleen Kahn, Professor: Public Health, Wits; Principal Scientist: SAMRC/Wits Agincourt; Head: Interdisciplinary PhD Programme in Public and Population Health, School of Public Health, Wits
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Prof Stephen Tollman, Director: SAMRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Unit; Head: Health and Population Division, School of Public Health, Wits; Director: Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt) Node, South African Population Research Infrastructure Network (SAPRIN).
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, MS LUSIZO MAKHUBELA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Mava Lukani (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 503 1840
E-mail: mlukani@parliament.gov.za
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