The 2024 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards Celebrate Science Stars

The 2024 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards honoured some of the country’s high-achieving researchers and scientists at a prestigious ceremony held at the Sun City Resort in North West Province, last night (22 August 2024). This year, the awards were held under the theme Celebrating 25 Years of Research, Innovation, Impact and Partnerships, in recognition of the NRF’s accomplishments since its founding in 1999.

The annual NRF Awards recognise outstanding achievements made by individuals and teams whose excellence has significantly advanced science for the benefit of society. Their internationally competitive work is assessed for, among other things, the contribution to the field of study focusing on quality and impact. One of the objectives of the awards is to encourage the continued culture of advancing South Africa’s scientific knowledge and technological innovation by rewarding those that make use of research for the advancement and betterment of humanity.

In his welcome address, Professor Mosa Moshabela, Chairperson of the NRF Board, lauded the 2024 awardees for the strides they have made over the last years. “This is the pride of our nation, the epitome of excellence. We pride ourselves in you,” he said.

He added that the 2024 NRF Awards were special because they coincided with the premier research funding agency’s celebration of its 25th anniversary. “It marks 25 years of leading, promoting and supporting highly impactful research and innovation and working hard to foster partnerships for the advancement of the South African National System of Innovation and Science.

“Of course, this anniversary is also an important reflection; a moment for us to look back and take stock of how far we’ve come as the NRF over the last quarter century. The many milestones that we have achieved in our endeavours to bring science much closer to society and society much closer to science. It is also a moment of reflection in terms of relationships that we have built across the country with the many universities and science councils, the many stakeholders that without which successes like we see today would not be possible,” he added.

In her keynote address, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Nomalungelo Gina, applauded the winners of the 2024 NRF Awards and NRF for their respective sterling contributions to the country’s science and innovation system. “We are proud of each of you and thank you for your sterling contributions to the country’s knowledge base,” the Deputy Minister said.

“The NRF was founded 25 years to drive efforts to transform our country’s science system. Since then, we have seen steady progress in transforming the cohort of scientists to be more representative and inclusive in terms of race, gender, and disability. For example, from 2018 to 2022, the percentage of Black South Africans out of the total pool of funded postgraduate students increased from 73% to 84%,” the Deputy Minister said. “While this is commendable progress, we certainly need to do more, and I believe with collective effort we can increase these numbers significantly over the next decade.”

The awards were presented across two categories – NRF ratings-based awards and Special Awards.

The Special Awards

• Lifetime Achievement Award

• Professor Richard Cowling School of Botany Stellenbosch University

Research Excellence Award for Next Generation Researchers

• Ms Anthea David Department of Microbiology University of KwaZulu-Natal
• Mr Sandile Ntethelelo Gumbi Department of Social Sciences University of KwaZulu-Natal
• Mr Edwin Hlangwani Department of Biotechnology University of Johannesburg
• Ms Meladi Lerato Motloutsi College of Science, Engineering & Technology University of South Africa
• Mr Sancho Nyoni Centre for Minerals Research University of Cape Town

• Research Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers

• Dr Hannes Erasmus School of Biological Sciences North-West University
• Associate Professor Usisipho Feleni Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability University of South Africa
• Dr Mbuzeleni Hlongwa School of Nursing and Public Health University of KwaZulu-Natal
• Dr Amanda-Lee Ezra Volmink Manicum Department of Chemistry Tshwane University of Technology
• Associate Professor Sisanda Nkoala Linguistics Department University of the Western Cape
• Dr Boitumelo Ramatsetse Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering Stellenbosch University
• Professor Mahloro Hope Serepa-Dlamini Faculty of Science University of Johannesburg

• Focussed Research Advancement Award

• Durban University of Technology
• University of Limpopo

• Public Engagement with Research Award

Professor Kim Berman School of Arts University of Johannesburg

• Champion of Research Capacity Development and Transformation Award

Professor Eric van Steen Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cape Town

Professor Umesh Ramnarain Department of Science and Technology Education University of Johannesburg

• Societal Impact Award

DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research (CBTBR)

DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis

DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development

• Science Team Award

African Brain Child Team The Neuroscience Institute University of Cape Town

Ratings-based Awards

• P-Rated Researchers

Dr Jan Moolman Buys School of Information Technology University of Cape Town

Dr Itumeleng Matuba Monageng Faculty of Science University of Cape Town (Joint position with NRF-SAAO

• A-Rated Researchers

A-Rated for the 4th time

Professor Jill Adler School of Education University of the Witwatersrand

A-Rated for the 3rd time

• Professor Heather Zar Department of Paediatrics and Child Health University of Cape Town
• Professor H. Simon Schaaf Department of Paediatrics and Child Health Stellenbosch University
• Professor Edward Rybicki Biopharming Research Unit University of Cape Town
• Professor Roy Maartens SKA Research Chair in Astronomy and Astrophysics University of the Western Cape
• Professor Glenda Gray Faculty of Health Sciences University of the Witwatersrand

A-Rated for the 2nd time

• Professor Anthony Onwuegbuzie Faculty of Education University of Johannesburg
• Professor Anthony Reddie School of Humanities University of South Africa (University of Oxford)

A-Rated for the 1st time

• Professor Keertan Dheda Division of Pulmonology University of Cape Town
• Professor Andrew Forbes School of Physics University Witwatersrand
• Professor Edward Sturrock Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences University of Cape Town
• Professor Herman Wasserman Department of Journalism Stellenbosch University