SAASTA

16/10/2026

MALARIA AWARENESS WEBINAR | JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What caused the 2026 spike in malaria cases in Gauteng?

Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal are recognised as malaria high-risk areas. However, the increase in malaria cases in Gauteng raises important questions about the factors driving this trend.

Join us for an insightful webinar as we explore this public health concern and deepen our understanding of malaria.

📅 Date: 21 October 2026
⏰ Time: 15:00
🎙️ Facilitator: Dr Gillian Arendse
👨‍⚕️ Presenter: Prof Tiaan De Jager

🔗 Join the webinar: https://tinyurl.com/yey6cp28

📢 Be informed. Understand the risks. Join the conversation!

07/10/2026

The 2026 NRF Next Generation and Emerging Researchers (NGER) Symposium kicks off today. A pre-symposium session featured a learner outreach at Lesiba Secondary School in Daveyton, Gauteng yesterday, where NRF-SAASTA coordinated a role modelling session by scientists, an exciting science show, and a career exhibition aimed at inspiring Grade 9 learners to take STEM subjects in Grade 10.

02/10/2026

Dr Kawela Mumba’s HPV and cervical cancer challenge cannot be solved in a laboratory. The vaccine exists. The challenge is communicating its value well enough for families to trust it.

A medical doctor trained in Algiers, Kawela spent five years in clinical practice before moving into research. She now co-leads clinical trials at the Center for Family Health Research in Zambia, where she studies why adolescent girls and their families may refuse the HPV vaccine, despite its ability to prevent most cervical cancers. Kawela is also a Pex Fellow with the Berlin School of Public Engagement and Open Science.

Working with girls and their mothers in Ndola, Kawela is exploring how information, relationships and trust shape vaccination decisions. Her research looks at where people get their information, who they trust and what makes them confident enough to act on health advice.

For Kawela, communication is not a side interest — it is part of the intervention. She wants to take research into the spaces where these conversations happen, from households and churches to WhatsApp groups, helping scientists meet communities where they are.

RSVP to watch Kawela share her research and ideas at the national final.

📅 5 October 2026 | 12:00 – 14:00
📍 NRF Auditorium, Pretoria — or join us online
RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/FameLabSAFinal2026

Connect with Kawela:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kawela-mumba-mwangelwa
Facebook: facebook.com/kawela.mumba

Jive Media Africa
Cheltenham Festival

01/10/2026

Umvuthuza, an indigenous South African plant, could hold clues to new ways of fighting drug-resistant tuberculosis. Meet Malwande Deon Baleka, who is investigating whether it could help the body fight the disease.

An MSc candidate in Physiological Sciences at Walter Sisulu University, Malwande researches Sanicula elata (Umvuthuza), exploring its bioactive compounds, antimicrobial activity and effects on macrophages, the immune cells that help clear infections.

His work focuses on host-directed therapy, an approach that strengthens the body’s own immune response rather than targeting TB bacteria directly. By investigating a plant with roots in traditional medicine, Malwande hopes to help bridge indigenous knowledge and modern medicine, while contributing to the search for affordable and accessible treatments for drug-resistant TB.

He is passionate about making science accessible and connecting researchers, traditional knowledge holders and communities. As an academic tutor, he also hopes to inspire young people to see curiosity as the starting point for scientific discovery.

Show your support for Malwande at the national final.
📅 5 October 2026 | 12:00 – 14:00
📍 NRF Auditorium, Pretoria — or join us online

Instagram: Malwande Deon Baleka

Jive Media Africa

Cheltenham Festival

01/10/2026

AFTER SCHOOL SCIENCE CLUB: An exciting opportunity for learners to engage with scientists through live, informal conversations about their work,
experiences and career journeys.

LINK: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/tEXpW64d2s

30/09/2026

Breast cancer treatment can be a difficult balancing act: the medicine needs to destroy cancer cells without damaging too many healthy ones. Meet Lauren Johnston, who is researching how nanotechnology could make that treatment more precise.

A PhD Nanomedicine candidate at the DSTI-NMU Nanomedicine Platform, Lauren specialises in nanotechnology and drug delivery. Her research focuses on developing tiny drug carriers called liposomes, designed to deliver cancer drugs directly to breast cancer cells while limiting their exposure to healthy cells. She is particularly interested in triple-negative breast cancer, a difficult-to-treat subtype with fewer treatment options.

Her work uses pH-sensitive liposomes that respond to the more acidic environment of tumours and release their drug payload where it is needed.

For Lauren, the excitement lies in the possibility that something microscopic could make a major difference to patients’ lives. She is passionate about science communication and making research accessible beyond the laboratory, while inspiring more people to see science as something they can understand and be part of.

Watch Lauren share her research and ideas at the national final.

📅 5 October 2026 | 12:00 – 14:00
📍 NRF Auditorium, Pretoria — or join us online



Connect with Lauren:

Instagram: laurenjohnston30

Jive Media Africa

Cheltenham Festival

30/09/2026

Prostate cancer is one of the major health challenges facing men, but access to essential medicines can be complicated by shortages and delays, particularly in Africa. Meet Dane Damons, who is exploring how chemistry and automation could help address this challenge.

An MSc Chemistry student at Nelson Mandela University, Dane specialises in Continuous Flow Chemistry. His research focuses on developing an automated continuous-flow method for producing enzalutamide, a medicine used to treat prostate cancer. By exploring faster, more efficient and potentially on-demand production, his work could contribute to making essential medicines more accessible and responsive to patients’ needs.

Dane is passionate about making complex science easier to understand and showing how chemistry can tackle real-world problems. He hopes to use science communication through public talks, educational programmes and community outreach to connect his research with the people it could ultimately benefit, while inspiring more young people to pursue careers in science.

Show your support for Dane at the national final.

📅 5 October 2026 | 12:00 – 14:00
📍 NRF Auditorium, Pretoria — or join us online

Jive Media Africa

Cheltenham Festival

29/09/2026

Resilient farming is in high demand as climate change, unpredictable rainfall and pressure on food production challenge farmers around the world. Meet Rebecca Mantso, who is investigating how growing maize and beans together could offer one practical solution.

An Agricultural Scientist and MSc Agronomy researcher at North-West University, Rebecca researches maize–dry bean intercropping and its potential to improve soil health, nutrient use and carbon storage while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Her work is particularly relevant to farmers in South Africa’s North West Province, where variable rainfall and increasing climate pressures are already being felt.

Rebecca’s journey extends beyond the field and laboratory into science communication, governance, leadership and community development. She is passionate about making science accessible and inspiring young people to pursue STEM careers.

She hopes to connect researchers, farmers, policymakers and communities, turning scientific knowledge into practical ideas for productive, climate-smart agriculture.

RSVP to watch Rebecca share her research and ideas at the national final.

📅 5 October 2026 | 12:00 – 14:00
📍 NRF Auditorium, Pretoria — or join us online
RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/FameLabSAFinal2026

Connect with Rebecca:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-rethabile-mantso-40862a347
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccarethabile.mantso
Instagram: rebecca_mantso_ms_independent

Jive Media Africa
Cheltenham Festival

29/09/2026

Meet Londeka Dube. She is researching new ways to make water safer for communities affected by pollution and water scarcity.

A master’s student at Unisa - The University of South Africa, Londeka specialises in nanomaterials for water treatment. Her research focuses on combining porphyrins with bimetallic nanoparticles to develop light-activated materials that can inactivate harmful bacteria in water. She also uses plants in green synthesis, exploring more sustainable approaches to water treatment.

Her interest in water and public health has already led to a published book chapter examining water contamination and the health impacts of waterborne bacteria.

Beyond the laboratory, Londeka is passionate about science communication and making complex research easier to understand. She hopes to connect advanced nanotechnology with the everyday realities of communities affected by water contamination, while building trust in new technologies and inspiring young scientists to see research as a tool for social change.

Watch Londeka share her research and ideas at the national final.

📅 5 October 2026 | 12:00 – 14:00
📍 NRF Auditorium, Pretoria — or join us online
RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/FameLabSAFinal2026
Connect with Londeka:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/londeka-dube-a3a904250/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079472243134
Instagram: Londeka Dube


Jive Media Africa

Cheltenham Festival

16/09/2026

Hear directly from researchers and health professionals as they explore how data, research, and technology are being applied to address pressing health challenges.

Join the Tshwane District Health Research Conference 2026, held under the theme: “Harnessing Data, Research and Technology for a Resilient Health System.”

This livestream brings the conference's research conversations directly to you, providing an opportunity for researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, students, science communicators, and members of the public to engage with current research and explore how evidence, data, and technology can contribute to strengthening health systems.

Through a series of presentations and discussions, the conference offers a platform to share research findings, exchange knowledge, and highlight innovative work that can inform solutions to health challenges within the district and beyond.

Click on the links below to join the conversation:

Day 1 | 17 September 2026: https://youtube.com/live/ONboMZkajPI
Day 2 | 18 September 2026: https://youtube.com/live/SOc7te1bghw

Hear directly from researchers and health professionals, and explor...