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South Africa cannot reach its full potential if women and girls continue to be excluded from opportunities in science, technology and innovation.
This was the message from Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, during the 23rd South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) Gala Dinner held in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Thursday evening.
Speaking under the theme “Placing Women at the Centre of Science, Technology and Innovation”, Nzimande said transformation in the science sector is both a moral and strategic necessity.
– Dr blade nzimande
minister of science technology and innovation
“Transformation is not a symbolic gesture, but a moral and strategic necessity,”
Progress in Women’s Participation
Nzimande highlighted several gains made in increasing women’s participation in science and research.
He noted that women now make up 52% of South Africa’s academic workforce and 47.7% of the national research workforce. In higher education, women accounted for 62.6% of total university enrolments in 2024.
Government has also introduced equity targets to support transformation, requiring that at least 55% of postgraduate bursaries be awarded to women and 80% to Black students.
During the 2025/26 financial year, 6 246 postgraduate students received bursary support, while 1 644 emerging researchers were supported, including 708 Black women emerging researchers.
Challenges Remain
Nzimande said the South African Research Chairs Initiative is also advancing the empowerment of women, with 104 of the 198 operational research chairs in the country, or 53%, held by women as of April 2026.
Despite these achievements, Nzimande said South Africa’s transformation journey remains incomplete.
He said women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions and key STEM fields such as engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence (AI).
“Women remain underrepresented in research leadership and critical STEM disciplines like engineering, computer science and AI,” he said.
”Women remain underrepresented in research leadership and critical STEM disciplines like engineering, computer science and AI”
He added that many early-career researchers face barriers including heavy teaching workloads and limited time for research. While women entrepreneurs in technology also continue to struggle to access venture capital funding.
To address these challenges, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Technology Innovation Agency are providing targeted funding, incubation programmes and venture capital support for women-led technology businesses.
“Our objective is to empower women not just as high-calibre researchers and scientists, but as enterprise founders and industrial pioneers,” Nzimande said.
He added that meaningful transformation should extend beyond academic research to include intellectual property development, patents and global market leadership.
Why This Matters for Communities Like Komati
While the Minister’s remarks focused on national progress, many of the programmes he highlighted have the potential to benefit most coal belt communities where young people continue to face high levels of unemployment and limited access to specialised STEM opportunities.
Government-funded bursaries, support for emerging researchers and initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of women in science and technology create pathways for young people from rural and former mining communities to pursue careers in engineering, renewable energy, information technology and research.
As South Africa’s energy sector undergoes transformation, communities affected by the Just Energy Transition (JET) could also benefit from increased investment in science, innovation and skills development. Encouraging more girls and young women to enter STEM fields may help equip the next generation with the skills needed to participate in new industries and economic opportunities.
For communities like Komati, where the former coal-fired power station is being repurposed as part of South Africa’s energy transition, conversations around science, technology and innovation are especially relevant. They speak directly to the future skills, careers and industries that could shape the next chapter of the community’s development.
Eskom’s Voice Missing From Critical Science and Women’s Empowerment Conversations
Komati News Flash has, on several occasions, attempted to engage Eskom during both Women’s Month and National Science Month on the role of women in science, technology and innovation, as well as the opportunities available to young people in communities that are directly affected by the Just Energy Transition (JET).
Eskom’s contribution to these conversations is particularly important given the utility’s role in South Africa’s energy sector and the ongoing transformation of the Komati Power Station site. As the country navigates the Just Energy Transition, many residents are looking to institutions such as Eskom for insight into skills development, science and technology programmes, career pathways and opportunities that can help prepare local youth and women for the jobs of the future.
Despite our efforts to secure comment and engage on these matters, Eskom had not responded to our requests by the time of publication.
Komati News Flash remains open to engaging with Eskom on these issues and will publish its response should it be received after the publication of this article.
News source: SAnews.gov.za
