Research
latest news & developments
Two scholars honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at 2026 NRF Awards
The Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards went to two extraordinary and veteran scholars, Professor Jonathan Jansen and Professor Helen…
FALF DAY 2026: Commercialisation of South African Intellectual Property from Universities
The Female Academic Leaders Fellowship (FALF), sponsored by Standard Bank Private Banking, hosted its annual gathering in South Africa. The event focused on advancing dialogue,…
From classroom struggles to thesis: How a teacher learnt to teach inclusively
A Wits-trained teacher recounts her initial struggles in a full-service school in Gauteng, where mainstream teaching methods failed to connect with Grade 4 learners. Her journey…
Dr Sivuyisiwe Mapukata
The future of mining will be defined not only by what we extract from the earth, but by what we create from it. Dr Sivuyisiwe Mapukata is at the forefront of that transformation,…
Dr Masedi Masekane
Dr Masedi Masekane, 32, is pushing the boundaries of nuclear physics while building scientific partnerships that extend far beyond South Africa. As a postdoctoral research…
Nonsikelelo Sackey
Nonsikelelo Sackey, 31, is changing how science is understood, proving that groundbreaking research only achieves its full potential when people can engage with it. As founder…
Dr Jairus Jerry Lesibana Lamola
With a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Johannesburg, Dr Jairus Jerry Lesibana Lamola is helping shape the technologies that could define the future of energy. As…
Dr Kabelo Edmond Ramohlola
Dr Kabelo Edmond Ramohlola is among a new generation of South African scientists advancing research that could help shape the country's clean energy future. As a researcher at…
Dr Khutso Lebea
Dr Khutso Lebea is deputy head of informatics in the Academy of Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Johannesburg, where he combines teaching, research…
Hluma Luvo Ralane
For Hluma Luvo Ralane, cities are more than places to live — they are engines of innovation, learning and opportunity. At 29, the urban development practitioner, researcher and…
Siyethaba Zinhle Bhengu
For Siyethaba Zinhle Bhengu, scientific discovery is ultimately about improving lives. As a master's candidate in human physiology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, she is…
Space Technology, Ground-Level Impact: NWU Expert Shows How Africa Can Turn Satellite Data into Development Solutions
Prof Amare Abebe, director of the Centre for Space Research at North-West University, argues that Africa's space future extends beyond satellites, focusing on using knowledge and…
Marion Island’s brown skuas defy scientists after landmark cat eradication
More than 30 years after South Africa eradicated feral cats from Marion Island in a landmark conservation success, scientists have discovered that one of the island's top…
Scientists find medicines and pesticides accumulating in False Bay sediments
A new study led by the University of Cape Town reveals that False Bay's seabed is accumulating pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and metals, acting as a long-term pollution reservoir.…
South Africa faces plastic pollution crisis, warns Water Research Commission
South Africa must urgently address escalating plastic pollution to avert a devastating crisis impacting humans, oceans, and aquatic life. The Water Research Commission issues a…