Welcome banner on display at the South African Women in Science Awards ceremony in Sandton.
Under the 2026 theme “Placing Women at the Centre of Science, Technology and Innovation,” the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) invited high school students Anele Mohoto and Alwande Mazeka, along with their teacher Rose Gwambe, to witness the evening's proceedings.
Sitting in a Sandton ballroom on Thursday, August 20, the students listened as the South African government honoured the legacy of late biomedical pioneer Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung.
Between honouring Professor Motaung and inspiring the next generation, South Africa’s science minister delivered a stark reality check. Women now dominate university enrolments and hold the majority of academic positions in the country, yet a severe lack of venture capital funding continually stifles female-led tech startups.
This fact served as the foundation for the 23rd South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA).
