Minister Nzimande congratulates South African scientists on being awarded National Orders
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande, congratulates the following scientists on being awarded National Orders:
1.Professor Salim Abdool Karim for “his contribution to medical science and public health, particularly in respect of HIV/Aids and tuberculosis research, and health policy development which is placing South Africa on the international stage. Your tireless leadership and swift response during the COVID-19 pandemic was outstanding and commendable.”
2.Professor Tulio de Oliveria for “his contribution in the field of scientific research with a groundbreaking discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. His discovery put South Africa on the international stage with cutting edge research and a swift response to prevent infection and possible deaths in our country and globally."
3.Prof Keertan Dheda for “his contribution in scientific research, specifically pulmonology, that has enabled improved management globally of tuberculosis and other respiratory infections. He is an acclaimed international expert whose combination of cutting-edge research and clinical prowess has produced numerous scientific breakthroughs and shaped public health policy in many countries, enhancing community health.”
4.Prof Vukosi Ntsakisi Marivate for “his excellent contributions to data science, artificial intelligence (AI), and natural language processing (NLP) that have significantly advanced both national and continental technological capabilities.”
5.Prof Priscilla Baker for “her contribution to scientific research. She is well recognised internationally as a scientific leader and knowledge advocate for science and technology. She is active in the advancement of public understanding and implementation of electro-analytical chemistry through community engagements and media interaction on both radio and television.”; and
6.Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela for “her contribution to the field of social cohesion through her powerful work on conflict resolution and the concept of unsolicited forgiveness. Her corpus of work on the psychology of forgiveness has been recognised internationally, bridging public ideology and deeply personal introspection.”
"The National Orders that have been bestowed on these six distinguished scientists and scholars, do not only serve as a testament to the high calibre scientists and researchers that are being produced by our public science institutions, but also represent a historic and profoundly proud moment for our country’s National System of Innovation”
“On behalf of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and South Africa’s National System of Innovation, I wish to thank Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Professor Tulio de Oliveria, Professor Keertan Dheda, Professor Vukosi Ntsakisi Marivate, Professor Priscilla Baker and Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela for their commitment to serving our country and its people through scientific excellence and for advancing our strategic goal of using science as an instrument for socio-economic transformation”
Enquiries: Mr. Veli Mbele (Media Liaison Officer and Spokesperson to the Minister) @ 064 615 0644 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
