A number of Unisa’s magnificent women were among the recipients of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s (DSTI’s) 2025 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA), recognising their excellence in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) field and for being an inspiration to younger women. Marking the 20^th anniversary of the awards, the ceremony was held on 21 August 2025, under the theme "Unpacking STEM careers: Her voice in science".

During the awards ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, the Honourable Nomalungelo Gina, stated: "These remarkable individuals that we are recognising today, continue to push boundaries of knowledge and innovation, enriching our understanding of the universe, society and of ourselves." She added: "Their work demands exceptional talent and dedication, and today, we celebrate their excellence."

Gina also mentioned that the 2024 South African Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators Report highlighted that there is steady progress in advancing gender equity in the STEM field, with increased women's representation in scientific publications. Further, she noted that the enrolment and graduateness of especially black women in STEM at higher education institutions has also increased.

Prof Zilungile (Lungi) Mkhize-Kitswana, of Unisa’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES), bagged the Distinguished Women Researcher Award: Public Engagement with Research. For her, this award is not only a personal achievement, but also a reflection of the collective effort of teams, mentors, colleagues, and, importantly, young female students that she has mentored. "It validates decades of dedication to medical research, immunology, and public health, including in neglected areas, such as tropical diseases," she says.

Mkhize-Kitswana adds: "The award celebrates women breaking barriers in science, research, and leadership. Such recognitions also encourage young women to pursue careers in this field and assure them that their contributions matter". Also, she says that she notes the significance of this recognition for representation, especially of African women scientists in shaping global health and innovation.

From left: Prof Patience Mthumzi-Kufa (College of Graduate Studies: Unisa and President: EWIS South Africa), Prof Tebogo Pilgrene Mashifana (SAWiSA recipient) and Prof Priscilla Baker (University of the Western Cape)

Additionally, Prof Tebogo Pilgrene Mashifana of Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), got the second runner-up in the category Distinguished Young Women Researchers: Natural and Engineering Sciences. She says: "Being recognised for the SAWiSA is both humbling and affirming. It highlights the impact of my research in the circular economy, where I focus on closing the loop and transforming linear systems into circular ones by turning waste into sustainable solutions that address environmental and societal challenges."

According to Mashifana, the recognition also encourages her to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation and to inspire young women to perceive science as a tool for building resilient communities and a sustainable future. She notes: "Science is all around us, and by embracing it and encouraging more women into STEMI (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and innovation) we can find solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities."

Excitingly, Unisa students Nolwazi Thabile Gazu and Nathma Samie, respectively studying towards their master’s degrees under CSET and the College of Human Sciences (CHS), received the DSTI-Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri Fellowships. The fellowships are named after an esteemed woman leader who made notable contributions to science, technology and education policy in South Africa. Through the fellowship, DSTI aims to support postgraduate women researchers at critical stages in their academic journeys.

Congratulating the award recipients, Prof Les Labuschagne, Unisa’s Acting Vice-Principal of Research, Postgraduate Studies, Innovation and Commercialisation, remarked: "We are extremely proud of their achievements. It shows that Unisa delivers academics of a high calibre and that our transformation agenda of increasing the number of female academics is working". He concluded: "This is a fitting end to Women’s Month and an encouragement to our researchers to strive for research and innovation excellence". 

* By Nancy Legodi, Acting Senior Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement

** Group images in the article shared by awardees as received from DSTI