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2026 SAWiSA Finalist Profile: Prof. Tebogo Mothiba — Distinguished Woman Researcher: Innovation for Impact
DSTI
12 August 2026
3 min read
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As South Africa commemorates the 70th anniversary of the historic 1956 march of 20 000 women to the Union Buildings, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) is proud to showcase the extraordinary finalists for the 2026 South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA).
Prof. Tebogo Mothiba is a finalist in the category Distinguished Woman Researchers: Innovation for Impact Women Leading Change. Prof. Mothiba is a Full Professor of Nursing Science and the SARChI Chair in Prevention, Control and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases, hosted by the Department of Nursing Science at the University of Limpopo (UL). She has served as Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Partnerships and as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at UL. Prof. Mothiba is a distinguished nurse scientist registered with the South African Nursing Council, an academic leader, researcher, mentor and an advocate for health equity.
Prof. Mothiba's research focuses on strengthening healthcare systems and improving health outcomes among vulnerable populations through interventions targeting non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, HIV, mental health, occupational health and digital health innovation. Her work seeks to develop evidence-based, community-centred, and technology-enabled solutions that address health disparities in rural and underserved communities. Through collaborative multidisciplinary research, she has contributed significantly to advancing healthcare delivery, health literacy, workforce development and community empowerment.
Prof. Mothiba's research has led to the development of innovative healthcare interventions, including digital solutions for pre-eclampsia management, adolescent HIV treatment adherence programmes, diabetes self-management interventions, cardiovascular disease prevention strategies and healthcare worker training programmes. These initiatives have strengthened primary healthcare services, informed policy development and improved healthcare access and quality in South Africa. She currently contributes to the development of an innovative digital obstetric triage system designed to improve maternal healthcare outcomes nationally.
With an NRF C3 rating, Prof. Mothiba has produced more than 229 scholarly outputs, including publications in leading international journals such as the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, BioMed Central Public Health, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Frontiers in Medicine, Healthcare, Children, and The Open Nursing Journal. Her research has attracted more than 1 600 Google Scholar citations, and she has achieved an h-index of 23.
Prof. Mothiba is a frequent keynote and plenary speaker at national and international scientific conferences. Her awards include Best Overall Female Researcher at UL and Best Overall Established Researcher in the University. She has successfully supervised and co-supervised 18 doctoral and nine master's graduates from 2020 to 2025 (most of whom are women) and currently supervises one master's and 10 doctoral students. Many of her former students now occupy senior academic, research, healthcare management, and leadership positions in South Africa and internationally.
She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Golden Key International Honour Society. She serves as a reviewer and contributor to several international peer-reviewed journals and continues to provide leadership in advancing nursing science, health innovation, research capacity development and women's empowerment in higher education and healthcare.
