South Africa’s Department of Science, Technology & Innovation (DSTI) officially kicked off this year’s National Science Week in Pretoria on 2 August 2025, heralding a nationwide celebration under the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation are for Everyone.” The event, held at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Pretoria West Campus, underscores the government’s commitment to inclusivity in scientific engagement and public access to innovation.
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A Showcase of Inclusivity and Impact
Bringing together stakeholders from schools, research institutions, tech start‑ups, universities, and civic organisations, the launch emphasised that science is not the exclusive province of elite labs—it is woven into daily life across every sector. Live demonstrations, student exhibits, and interactive sessions were designed to show how science, technology and innovation (STI) touch everyone, regardless of geography or background .
Minister Blade Nzimande, speaking at the event, stressed the importance of bridging the gap between scientific expertise and everyday citizens. He urged broader citizen involvement in STI development, arguing that public insight should influence the direction of innovation.
TUT’s participation signalled a powerful collaboration between the state and higher education. The university opened its labs, classrooms, and event spaces to showcase projects—from robotics to eco‑energy solutions and grassroots inventions. Students and young innovators, especially from under‑resourced communities, mingled with scientists and educators in hands‑on workshops.
Teaching Through Innovation
Among the display highlights were contributions from major players in South Africa’s science ecosystem. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), for example, brought biometric devices, cybersecurity tech, and broadband innovations aimed at expanding access to rural and township communities .
Meanwhile, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) presented biomedical exhibits—DNA extraction exercises, Bradford TB diagnostics, and microscopy sessions—to illustrate how research informs public health .
Various universities and regional research centres also mounted stalls, showcasing hydrogen‑propelled student vehicles, robotic prototypes, renewable‑energy experiments, and citizen‑science projects that engage local communities with environmental data and scientific research.
The Voice of Youth Innovators
The launch featured standout young innovators. Munei Netsharotha, a Grade 10 learner from Limpopo’s Tshivhase Secondary School, drew attention with his hydrogen‑fuelled vehicle, illustrating the potential of South Africa’s emerging hydrogen economy. Similarly, Hlompho Malehodi, a mechatronics apprentice, spoke of her journey from vocational training to representing South Africa in the WorldSkills competition in Lyon, France—making history as the first Black woman in mechatronics at that level.
In his remarks, Minister Nzimande reminded attending youth that they belong to a democratic society built on their ancestors’ sacrifices, now richer in educational opportunity. He urged them to pursue STEMI (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation) careers to help solve major national challenges: poverty, inequality, pandemics and climate change.
National Roll‑out of Science Culture
This year, National Science Week (NSW) runs from 4 to 9 August 2025, featuring events in every province, from interactive science cafés and exhibitions to career guidance sessions, research dialogues, and hands‑on workshops saasta.ac.za. The initiative is coordinated by SAASTA, the science‑engagement arm of the National Research Foundation (NRF), working with schools, community organisations and government agencies to bring STI closer to the public.
Communities across the country—from Limpopo to Western Cape—are invited to host registered events. The theme aims to foster not just awareness but active participation: encouraging South Africans to question, understand and shape science in society.
Students, educators and innovation leaders are encouraged to register their plans via SAASTA’s platform so that a comprehensive programme of NSW activities can be widely promoted .
Catalyst for Development
NSW is more than a week of events—it serves the broader thrust of DSTI’s strategy: building a science-literate, science-aware society that can critically engage with STI. Its aim is to diversify talent pipelines in STEMI disciplines, uplift previously marginalised communities, and cultivate critical-thinking citizens. In previous years, the Department has emphasised citizen science, research accessibility, and evidence-based policymaking as pillars of public engagement.
Through NSW, DSTI affirms that public engagement with the subject is a national development imperative. By involving learners and citizens in science dialogue, exhibitions and innovation showcases, the initiative seeks to democratise knowledge and seed grassroots innovation.
Voices from Across the Ecosystem
Representatives from various DSTI-linked institutions joined the launch:
- The CSIR used the platform to highlight the Television White Space (TVWS) broadband solution, as well as biometric tools like fingerprint scanners, iris recognition, and virtual security operation centres, to demonstrate innovation that improves rural connectivity and digital security.
- The SAMRC engaged learners in health science through interactive genetics and disease‑diagnostic exhibitions, illustrating biomedical innovation in practice.
Other institutions like SARAO, SAEON, SANSA, and higher education units joined countrywide to showcase space science, biodiversity monitoring, environmental research and citizen participation in scientific studies.
Looking Ahead: Beyond the Launch
Following the Pretoria launch, regional roll‑outs begin across local communities, schools and science centres. The goal is clear: make scientific engagement accessible, relatable and inclusive—not just in major cities, but in rural and township contexts too.
DSTI aims to cement science culture as a foundation for economic and social progress. By reaching learners and communities directly—through registered workshops, exhibits, digital forums, and live demonstrations—the Department hopes to inspire new generations to embrace science as a tool for national transformation.
Why It Matters: A Humanised Perspective
Why does it matter that DSTI is mounting science weeks across South Africa? Because science is more than equations or labs—it’s about citizens shaping their environment, questioning the status quo, and applying innovation for the public good.
Science Week aligns with a democratic vision of knowledge: one in which innovation arises not from distant institutions, but from grassroots curiosity, youth ambition and communal problem‑solving. By making the subject participatory and inclusive, the initiative fuels social cohesion, equity and shared development.
Young innovators like Netsharotha and Malehodi give a face to this mission: talented South Africans, often underserved, whose creativity and tenacity transform classrooms into laboratories of possibility. DSTI’s role—as convener, funder and champion—amplifies these voices into a national conversation.
Key Takeaway
- Launch Date & Location: 2 August 2025 at TUT, Pretoria West, hosted by DSTI in partnership with Tshwane University of Technology.
- Theme: Science, Technology and Innovation are for Everyone—emphasising inclusivity and broad public involvement in STI.
- Flagship Exhibits: Biometrics and broadband from CSIR; biomedical outreach from SAMRC; grassroots youth innovations and hydrogen vehicle showcases .
- Youth & Equity Focus: Spotlighted innovators such as Munei Netsharotha and Hlompho Malehodi as examples of possibility and empowerment within the STEMI pipeline.
- National Roll‑out: Events nationwide from 4–9 August 2025, led by SAASTA across regions with community‑based engagement and citizen project.
This year’s launch of National Science Week is a bold reaffirmation: science belongs to every South African, and innovation should be shaped by—and benefit—every community.
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