The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has announced the finalists for the 2026 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA), a move that coincides with Women's Month and the 70th anniversary of the 1956 march on the Union Buildings. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 20 August 2026 at the NH Johannesburg Sandton Hotel, the department said.
Purpose and new direction
DSTI has repositioned SAWiSA to strengthen its role in recognising research excellence and to make the awards a clearer instrument for transformation in South African science, technology and innovation (ST&I). As part of the change, the department has renamed its fellowship programme in honour of the late academic Prof. Shirley Keolebogile Motaung. The fellowships will be awarded to young women pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, DSTI said, to recognise academic achievement and support research potential.
“Placing Women at the Centre of Science, Technology and Innovation,”
The theme for this year’s awards — “Placing Women at the Centre of Science, Technology and Innovation” — echoes DSTI’s broader policy aim of integrating science and technology across government, education, industry and society. The department said the refreshed SAWiSA identity combines scientific symbolism, feminine strength and South African identity, and will be reflected in the logo, trophy and branding.
What DSTI hopes to achieve
The department described SAWiSA as an annual celebration that recognises and rewards excellence among South African women in ST&I. DSTI also said the awards serve to highlight leading researchers whose achievements can inspire girls and young women to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Key changes and intended outcomes include:
- Renamed fellowships to honour Prof. Motaung and provide targeted support for master's and doctoral candidates.
- Stronger public visibility of awardees through refreshed branding and a more recognisable platform for outreach and mentorship.
- Transformation focus to elevate the role of women in South Africa’s science and innovation agenda.
Timing and symbolism
DSTI framed the announcement within the national context of Women's Month and the commemoration of the 1956 march of approximately 20 000 women to the Union Buildings opposing apartheid pass laws. The department said this historic context reinforces the awards’ purpose in celebrating women’s contributions and advancing equality within ST&I.
Event details and next steps
The winners will be revealed at a gala dinner on 20 August 2026 in Sandton. DSTI said the new-look awards will not only celebrate research excellence but will also reinforce mentorship, public participation in science and talent development as longer-term objectives.
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Awards ceremony | 20 August 2026, NH Johannesburg Sandton Hotel |
| Theme | Placing Women at the Centre of Science, Technology and Innovation |
| Fellowships | Renamed DSTI-Prof. Keolebogile Motaung Fellowships for master's and doctoral candidates |
For researchers and institutions, the announcement is a reminder that government instruments are being recalibrated to emphasise inclusion and visibility. For policy watchers, the renaming of fellowships and the explicit branding shift underline DSTI’s intent to use high-profile awards as levers for broader change in the science system.
How this will translate into measurable changes — more women entering STEM fields, greater representation in senior research posts, or improved access to funding — will depend on the follow-through from DSTI and partners in universities, research councils and industry. The awards provide recognition; long-term impact will hinge on sustained support for the career pathways the awards are designed to encourage.
As the finalists await the gala in August, the reworked SAWiSA will be watched by educators, funders and young scientists keen to see whether the new branding and renamed fellowships produce tangible benefits for women pursuing research careers in South Africa.
