Women's Month 2022 _ Women of Impact

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CONTENTS
01 Africa’s Dr Priscilla Mante
Honoured at GYA
05
02 Science is taking on a
10
FEMALE FACE
14
Living as a Woman
Calling for more Youth
African initiatives benefit
Women in Science is published by Media Torque and
Events (PTY) Ltd
www.womeninscience.Africa
17 Muswell Road South, Block A Wedgefield Office Park.
Bryanston, Sandton, 2021
Tel 011 317 36 31
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Managing Director & Publisher: Ms Nthabiseng Mokake
Editor: Alex Rose-Innes | editor@womeninscience.africa
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Media Torque & Events (Pty) Ltd is a women-led and
pan-African integrated media agency and publishing
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Science and Greening Afrika
16
22
26
28
Paying tribute to
a game-changer for black women
in science
GBV pandemic:
20 Inspiring
Quotes from
Women in STEM
Women who change
the world

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
FOREWORD
Nthabiseng Mokake, Publisher
Throughout history, the changes effected by
women, have changed the lives of others for
the better. Their endeavours have created a
better society wherein equality, respect and
a better tomorrow became possible. Once
again, in 2022, we wish to honour and salute women
across all platforms, be it science, health or political.
Their successes have become the basis from which the
rest of us could propel ourselves with determination and
courage.
There is still a long way to go to eradicate the scourge
of gender-based violence, not only in South Africa,
but across the world. As women take hands during
Women’s Month and beyond, we will continue to
advocate for a time when men and women can co-exist
in harmony and peace.
To those women who changed the face of science,
they will continue to be the benchmark for young women
to follow in their footsteps. With this publication, it is the
aim of Women in Science and its staff to highlight
the work done by women, mothers and fellow sisters.
We also wish to thank our partners and readers for
providing us with this opportunity to be part of national
Women’s Month and undertake to forge on,
not only for a better future for all, but to bring many
benefits to those who entrust us with their support.
Happy Women’s Month.

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
Africa’s Dr Priscilla Mante
honoured at GYA
Alex Rose-Innes
The Global Young Academy’s (GYA) 2022
Annual General Meeting (AGM) and
Conference had successfully come to an
end and brought with it recognition of Africa’s
female science talent in the form of Dr Priscilla
Kolibea Mante from Ghana.
To represent and lead them through the upcoming year,
GYA members elected leaders from North America,
Africa, Asia and Europe – a majority of whom are women
– to the Executive Committee which is comprised of
eleven members of which two are co-chairs.
As one of the co-chairs for the upcoming year,
members chose Dr Mante from Africa who is with
the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology (KNUST) in Ghana. This is a huge honour
for her, for Ghana and the entire African continent as
she finds herself among the cream of the crop of globally
recognised scientists. Among them are top young
scientists from Germany, Italy, Iran, Mexico, Poland,
India and Indonesia.
After being elected, Priscilla said it was “wonderful to
receive this honour from my fellow GYA members.
I am poised for the year ahead and this mandate given
to me. I look forward to working closely with everyone as
we begin arguably one of the most exciting years
for the GYA.”
Dr Mante is also a Google Scholar and a fellow of the
Future Science community. She is Senior Lecturer in the
Department of Pharmacology at KNUST and her field
of expertise and research include epilepsy, depression,
anxiety and Natural Product Pharmacology. She holds
a B.Pharm (Hons) and a Ph.D (Pharmacology) degree,
both from KNUST. As a registered Pharmacist she is
a member of several professional bodies including
the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, Ghana Young
Academy and International Society of Neurochemistry,
as well as a founding member of the Ghana
Neuroscience Society.
The Scope of her Research
Her research is focused on investigating isolated
medicinal compounds for activity against resistant
epilepsy. Her current efforts are geared towards voltagegated
sodium channel activity of natural products.
This research incorporates the use of animal disease
models and whole-cell patch clamp techniques to
discover new and potent therapeutic options for epilepsy,
depression and anxiety.
01

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
Science is taking on a
FEMALE FACE
Alex Rose-Innes
While the war in Ukraine is
effectively destroying the lives
of many ordinary women, it
is only apt that we remember
female scientists in this warravaged
country. They too, are part of the
global change necessary to affect a better
future for all. August, Women’s’ Month in South
Africa (SA), is an ideal opportunity to realise
that women are holding the future of science in
their hands.
True grit and passion
Just as on the African continent, where women in STEM
are still considered secondary citizens, outstanding
Ukrainian women and their discoveries, have continued,
despite everything. During this war, they have seen their
research go up in flames and in order to continue their
life-changing science discoveries, these women, just as
their African sisters, will continue to change the world.
They continue their careers in bunkers, realising that the
world needs them.
In Ukraine, the percentage of women in science is
almost twice than the rest of the global average.
Before the war, Ukrainian women successfully worked
in various fields of science. In social sciences (65.8%),
medical (65.2%), human sciences (60.3%) and technical
sciences, 34.1%. These female scientists rarely find
gender biases as opposed to those in other countries.
of the important role women play in the scientific and
technological community and encourage women and
girls to participate in science. We salute them all.
“Let us ensure that every
girl, wherever she is, has the
opportunity to make her dreams
come true, achieve prosperity and
contribute to a sustainable future
for all humankind.”
- UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres
To support and honour talented scientists and
encourage them to develop Ukrainian science, the
country introduced an award in 2018, as part of the
global L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Programme, “For Women
in Science.” It was designed for young women,
professionally engaged in research in STEM (science,
technology, engineering, mathematics and those who
have an active position in science promotion.
In August, SA will remember, not only those brave
African women who politically changed the landscape,
but at Women in Science, our aim is to highlight and
celebrate especially female scientists, not only in SA, but
across the world. In August, all of us should be reminded
02

Ukrainian astronomer, helio physicist, doctor of physic
and mathematical sciences, author of 56 scientific
works, Nina Morozhenko devoted her entire life to
studying the structure of sunlight and the processes
taking place on it.
Without studying the sun, it’s impossible to understand
not only what the future holds for our civilization, but
also what is happening in space, i.e. on the distant stars
humanity is so eager to reach. Nina Morozhenko’s
scientific works on solar prominences were the first
in the world and gave rise to scientific research by
helio physicists from many countries. The Ukrainian
researcher’s significant contribution to the physics of the
sun once again demonstrates that physics isn’t a purely
male science.
Biologist Valentyna Radzymovska
One of the most prominent names in Ukranian history is
Valentyna Radzymovska, a professor, doctor of medical
and physiological sciences, founder of the Ukrainian
school of physiologists and biochemists and a public
figure. The Soviet authorities repressed Valentyna for
her political activities and participation in the Union for
the Liberation of Ukraine in the 1930’s.
However, it didn’t prevent her from becoming the author
of more than 60 works on biochemistry, pathophysiology,
paediatrics, psycho-neurology, physiology, and
phthisiology. She left Ukraine in 1945, immigrating first to
Germany and then to the United States. Radzymovska
contributed hugely to the study of tuberculosis and its
treatment in children.
Mathematician Nina Virchenko
Professor of the Department of Mathematical
Analysis and Probability Theory, Doctor of Physic and
Mathematical Sciences, Nina Virchenko is one of the
most famous Ukrainian mathematicians. She is the
author of more than 500 scientific and methodological
works, including 20 books published in Ukrainian,
Russian, English and Japanese. She is recognised, not
only in Ukraine, but also abroad - as a member of the
Australian, American, Belgian, Edinburgh and London
mathematical societies.
Nina Virchenko’s fate wasn’t easy. At 18 she was
sentenced to 10 years in the dreaded Russian Gulag
camps for preparing a “political conspiracy, revolt” and
participating in the “Ukrainian-nationalist gang.” Years in
the camps didn’t stop the future doctor from achieving
her dreams.
Physicist Nina Morozhenko
The world needs science and
science needs women
03

Mathematician Maryna Viazovska
Physicist Yuliia Bezvershenko
Ukrainian scientist and doctor of natural sciences.
Ukrainian mathematician Maryna Viazovska, currently
works at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
She received the Salem Prize 2016, extremely
prestigious for mathematicians. The commission
awarded the prize to Maryna for her world-class
discovery. She solved a problem scientists have
been working on for more than 400 years - packing
spheres in 8-dimensional space and co-authored the
one in 24-dimensional space. Previously, the problem of
packing spheres was solved only for spaces with three
or fewer dimensions.
Ukrainian scientist in theoretical physics, populariser
of science, public figure, Ph.D. of physics and
mathematical sciences, Yuliia Bezvershenko is included
in the list of TOP-20 Ukrainian women in STEM for
2018-2019. Yuliia deals with mathematical methods
applied to the problems of dynamics of quantum systems
in external fields and control of quantum systems.
She is convinced and proves that one can practice
theoretical physics with passion.
“If you’re a girl, a woman, no matter
where, no matter how old you are,
and your heart is in science, don’t
be afraid. Go there boldly.
After all, nothing will stop a
woman, ready to work and conduct
scientific discoveries.”
– Yuliia Bezverskenko

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
Living As A Woman
Breaking The Barriers Of Gender Discrimination
Minty Makapela - Nonstele
less committed to their careers, and less able to make
the sacrifices that men can make on their time to be
successful businesspeople. These perceptions are
functions of their biases more than they have any basis
in fact. The situation is even worse for African women
who are victims of these prejudices not in terms of
African cultural systems, but the prevailing cultures
of western of corporate capitalism as well. It is these
prejudices that lie at the root of issues such as the
scourge of harassment in the workplace and the gender
pay gap, to name a few.
As a young girl, I have always aspired to run my own
business which I believed would contribute enormously
to my community. The initial process of setting a
business is the same for everyone. The process
begins to be different when the business must start
its operations. I began experiencing challenges when
looking for a place from where the business was going to
operate. I met an old male landlord who seemed to have
very little faith in me. He saw a little girl who was overly
ambitious, from my point of view. It took several attempts
before he finally agreed to lease me his premises. His
body language told me that he was just getting rid of me.
I was relentless, as is often the case for women actively
pursuing their career goals.
As the excitement of overcoming the first hurdle was
waning down, I was confronted with the reality of
having to raise capital for the business. The process
of approaching various funding institutions and banks
yielded no results. In many of those instances, there
were times where one would feel that the rejection was
mainly directed at me, and not to the business idea and/
or it’s potential. The plethora of the advice I received
was to just give it all up and find a job instead. I know
that this experience is not unique to me. I know that this
story is all too familiar for many women who aspire to be
in business in lieu of working in corporate.
It is widely reported that women must work ten times
harder and longer than their male counterparts, for
equal or less pay. In addition to this violation, women
are often perceived as less focused on the job at hand,
In the words of Ruth Mumbi, “When you empower
women, you empower the whole world”. A woman
is more likely to scale her economic empowerment,
thus “empowering a woman creates ripple effects
that positively impact communities in larger and more
endearing ways”. The empowerment of women can
begin with a commitment as simple as creating and
sustaining an equality of opportunity for them to lead and
to pursue their business interests.
While women make up at least a third of all management
positions, most of these women occupy positions that do
not measure up in power, pay, and authority to their male
counterparts at similar levels. Many of these women
contend daily with an impenetrable barrier to their growth
and ascension, keeping them from senior leadership
positions, and stifling their ambition and willingness to
contribute meaningfully. We let this continue at our own
peril, and starve our institutions, and society at large,
of a tremendous amount of leadership and strategic
potential. Women are often deputized, quite literally.
Campaigns like the “2020 Women on Boards”, the
“Women on the Board Pledge”, and even the Black
Management Forum’s “Women Empowerment Desk”
are but the beginning of the work that needs to be done
to change the narrative around women leadership, to
appreciate the value that women can add as leaders
and entrepreneurs, and to working toward creating an
equality of opportunity for women. It cannot end there,
real change must come, prejudices confronted, spaces
opened, and commitments made and kept.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Minty Makapela-Nonstele is the Provincial Chairperson
of the BMF Eastern Cape Province | BMF Board Member |
Entrepreneur by profession | Wife | Mother to 2 kids

The Time is now
for Women in
Tech as 4IR Skills
demand climbs
need to have the right qualifications and experience first.
Prudence is determined to change the belief that a
career in ICT leads to boring male jobs and upskill as
many of South Africa’s underprivileged and unemployed
15-34-year-old women as possible. Her training and
skills development company, Dynamic DNA, partners
with top ICT vendors across the country, providing a
variety of fully accredited, specialist courses for digitally
savvy female candidates who have the right cognitive
abilities, behaviours, and values, but not the qualification
to match.
“With women making considerable strides in fields that
were previously male-dominated, the lines of career
limitations have blurred. There are more career choices
available to women now than ever before, allowing them
to take charge of their own destiny. It is so important
that women start to view their career in technology as a
major life-changing opportunity,” says Prudence.
Prudence Mathebula
Shareholder and Managing Director of
Dynamic DNA
It seems the South African digital sector hasn’t quite
grasped the age-old law of supply and demand.
Technology companies are scrambling for capable
female professionals to help shrink the gender gap
and advance diversity, but the pool of available talent
is low.
The dichotomy is worrying especially for a sector that
prides itself on being one step ahead of everyone else.
We have known for some time now that women are
grossly underrepresented in the digital sector, holding
less than 25 percent of South African tech jobs but if
things carry on as they are, women risk completely outskilling
themselves from future tech jobs in the Fourth
Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Equipping even more talented females with the right
critical skills of the future starts at the grassroots
level and Prudence Mathebula – shareholder and
Managing Director of Dynamic DNA is tackling it head
on through her 4IR4HER movement. The twenty-sixyear-old,
Soweto-born entrepreneur isn’t surprised
that South African women tend to gravitate away from
STEM-related (science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics) degrees at university level.
A career in ICT never crossed her mind when she
was embarking on her studies, and it was only after
completing her diploma in marketing and advertising that
she fully realised how valuable an ICT qualification could
be in paving the way to more exciting and rewarding
careers.
From working on the internet and designing software
and apps to implementing cyber security systems and
coding trendy games, the career opportunities are
endless (and pay cheques just as great), but women
The right aptitude and attitude
It all boils down to aptitude and attitude and Boitumelo
Tshepe, currently on the Dynamic DNA 4IR4Her
programme, has both in spades. A maths whiz at school
and with an older sister studying web development,
Boitumelo knew that a career in IT was a no-brainer,
but the only thing she was lacking was qualification and
experience.
Thanks to Prudence’s 4IR4HER programme, Boitumelo
is now in her final year of a Level 5 National Certificate in
Information Technology Systems Development course,
learning about object oriented and Fourth Generation
language programming, website development,
multimedia, and e-commerce, and she is also a student
in software development at TUT.
She is also getting hands on experience in mobile and
database development in her practical at Cloudsmiths,
one of the fastest growing companies within the
salesforce ecosystem in Southern Africa.
“I have learnt so much already and am so excited to
enter the workforce and begin my career,” she says
excitedly, with only a few months left before she
graduates in 2023.
The buck doesn’t stop with women
Boitumelo is a shining example of how programmes like
4IR4HER can make a significant difference to the lives
of everyday women. Yet for Prudence to meet her aim
of developing baseline skills and creating employment
opportunities for 5,000 underprivileged women in the
local tech industry, she needs the invaluable support of
big business.
“There is a huge lack of skills in industries related to 4IR,
which is booming. As businesses set up sustainable
ways to digitise and become more competitive,
developing a people pipeline for now and the future is
critical,” adds Prudence
Aggressive campaigns to recruit, hire, retain, and
promote female talent is simply not enough. Both the
private and public sector needs to commit and invest in
learnerships, bursaries, skills development programmes
and internships for women to help diversify their
workplace. Not only is this good for business, improving
productivity and innovation that in turn has a positive
knock-on effect on their bottom line, but in doing so
businesses can also benefit from several incentives like
accessing available SETA grants and skills funding, tax
rebates, as well as advancing their B-BBEE scorecard.

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
Calling for more youth
involvement in STEM to tackle the country’s challenges
Mpumi Maringa
Although it took a bit longer for her to settle
on what career she wanted to pursue, Miss
Mpumi Maringa has no regrets for choosing
her current career: archaeozoologist. Miss
Maringa was born in Soweto but grew
up in Johannesburg in a very supportive, inspiration
and educated family. She and her brother attended
Mulbarton Primary School and Glenvista High School
and at the time she thought she would follow in the
footsteps of some of her family members who are
healthcare workers and medical practitioners.
The focus of an archaeologist
She says it was only when she was doing her Grade 12
that she seriously tried to figure out what career paths
she would like to pursue. All she knew was that she has
inquisitive mind and that she wanted to get involved in
the sciences through which she can make a change or
impact.
As an archaeozoologist, Miss Maringa says she studies
animal fossils that vary in age from thousands to millions
of years old. She is qualified to analyse large (bigger
than 5kg), small (between 750g to 5 kg) and micro
mammals (smaller than 750g). “My current focus is on
using micromammal (mice, rats, mole-rats, shrews etc.)
fossils to identify the species that were present and the
type of environment that existed thousands of years
ago. Determining what the environment was like all
those years ago can help us understand the changes in
climate, average temperatures, rainfall and vegetation
cover,” says Miss Maringa.
She says all these factors impacted the life ways of all
living organisms. According to her this information can
be used to compare and contrast how these changes to
modern environmental changes affect the present day
and what we can expect in the future.
Achievements and career highlights
Not only is she passionate about her career but Miss
Maringa has some highlights and awards to boast about.
Some of these include:
· Obtaining my MSc in Archaeology (2020)
· Starting a new position as a Fauna Research
assistant at GENUS Palaeoscience (2021)
· Chairperson of the Southern African Archaeology
Student Council (2022)
· Student Representative of the Association of
Southern African Professional Archaeologists
(2022)
· SADC Representative of the Association of
Southern African Professional Archaeologists
(2019-2022)
Youth participation in STEM
Miss Maringa believes youth should actively participate
in the STEMi fields and calls for leaders of various
science and technology bodies to work closely with
the youth to promote science and technology. Says
Miss Maringa: “The youth have the spirit of innovation,
confidence and influence while leaders in science and
technology have the experience and achievement.
This combination has the potential to be impactful,
empowering and lead more people to be involved in
STEMi. More involvement, communication, dedication
and financial aid are required to sustain initiatives
that aim to tackle challenges.” She also recommends
hosting science fairs where young individuals are tasked
with finding alternative means or producing sustainable
access to electricity, water or food. “The most innovative
ideas can then be developed by leaders in STEMi in
10

collaboration with the students and implemented on a
larger scale,” adds Miss Maringa.
Outreach programmes for young women
She specifically wants to see the involvement of more
young female scientists in STEMi. More outreach
programmes need to be organised to spread the word
and encourage young females that they too can be in
STEMi says Miss Maringa.
Internship and job shadowing programme are also
important as they expose young females to a variety
of career opportunities and experiences, says Miss
Maringa, she adds.
to things that will not serve you, your mental, physical
and emotional health is more important. It is an act of
selflessness not selfishness,” advises Miss Maringa.
She says young women should not let fear make them
cower from their battles, adding, the path least taken is
always the hardest but it is worth the reward. “This is the
time to create your own opportunities, to keep moving
forward. Challenges will cross your path but they can
always be crushed,” concludes Miss Maringa.
“Women are intelligent, resilient and capable of so much.
It is our (women in STEMi) responsibility to be the role
models for the younger generations, to encourage them,
create the hype and to validate their potential,” says
Maringa.
Challenges facing women
But she also worries about the challenges that women
still encounter with the STEMi field. Some of these,
according to Miss Maringa, include racism, sexism,
exploitation and harassment. She identifies these
challenges as some of the major reasons why women
and more especially women of colour are few in my field.
Advice and tips
But she is positive and has some tips and advice to
share with women who want to pursue STEMi stream.
“Develop support systems that comprise family, friends,
mentors and work colleagues.
You will encounter rough times and it is important to
have people that will encourage you to get back up,
dust yourself off and try again. Don’t be afraid to say no
11

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
CSIR Women
The science and technology industry has
always been considered predominately
male; however, the Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) women
are reshaping this narrative by using their
scientific expertise to develop and drive research and
development strategies that support the development
of a capable state, enable local industry to stay ahead
of the curve and, ultimately, contribute towards honing
a knowledge economy that enables socioeconomic
growth. As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month,
the CSIR recognises the technical experience and
leadership provided by women in the mining and
agriculture, health and biomedical sectors.
Her keen interest in innovation has seen her steer the
ships of many cross-functional multidisciplinary teams
to achieve the CSIR’s strategic initiatives. She has also
led and participated in several global research consortia
and has been the principal investigator in many locally
and internationally funded research initiatives. A
geneticist by training, Chikwamba has a keen interest
in broadening access to highly effective vaccines
and therapeutics to populations in low and middleincome
countries, particularly in Africa, where access
is limited predominantly by supply and cost. She has
approached this by focusing on translational research
to develop potentially cost-effective production methods
for biologics on the African continent, working towards
upgrading these facilities to support the local production
of value pharmaceuticals.
Among the several advisory boards that she serves on,
Chikwamba was recently appointed on the African Union
Panel on Emerging Technologies, where she advises its
Member States on harnessing emerging technologies for
economic development.
CSIR Group Executive: Advanced
Chemistry and Life Sciences
The CSIR’s Dr Rachel Chikwamba was listed by
Apolitical as one of the most influential people navigating
disruption. As the Group Executive for the Advanced
Chemistry and Life Sciences division, Dr Chikwamba
believes that collaborative initiatives with local and
international partners in academia, and the public and
private sectors are imperatives that contribute towards
the development of relevant industry-facing strategies.
Dr Chikwamba spearheaded the implementation
of the CSIR Strategy towards improved sectoral
competitiveness and economic performance through
innovation.
Executive Manager for Future
Production: Mining
Known for being a leader in the field of mine
modernisation, the CSIR’s Sibongile Ntsoelengoe
is pioneering the CSIR’s value offering in Future
Production: Mining.

at the helm of industry shapeshifters
Her technical expertise in iron ore and base metal
commodities, which spans over 15 years, has seen
her tap into her experience to lead a digital technology
strategy and innovation roadmap, which revolutionised
the local mining industry.
As a result, she continues to be an industry expert on
how research and innovation can be used to drive the
modernisation of mines in South Africa.
Ntsoelengoe has held various positions in the mining
industry, which has given her experience in the
processing of minerals, delivering capital projects in the
mining industry, the development of bespoke technology
research, appropriate innovations that helped accelerate
modernisation across the mining value chain, including
the marketing of commodities. She also previously
served as a member of the innovation steering
committee at the Minerals Council of South Africa and is
currently a Council Member of the South African Institute
of Mining and Metallurgy.
biosensors for HIV, TB, Covid-19 and non-communicable
diseases, machine learning for PoC diagnostics, as well
as counterfeit drug screening devices.
“The work that we do is aimed at reducing the burden
of disease on developing countries. Infectious diseases
like HIV/Aids have been noted as the major cause of
mortality. Therefore, our primary goal is to develop
multi-screening, portable devices through the
Biophotonics Facility for HIV, TB and Covid-19.
Through these diagnostic technologies, we hope to
provide patients in the rural and peri-urban areas, who
might not have access to laboratories or healthcare
facilities, with non-invasive and cost-effective medical
devices, which will allow them to monitor and manage
their health in the comfort of their own homes,”
says Dr Mthunzi-Kufa.
Beyond the lab-based research, Mthunzi-Kufa is
passionate about sharing her work through highimpact
factor, peer-reviewed journals, popular science
magazines, and local and international conferences, as
an invited plenary session speaker. Among other things,
in 2011, she was one of four scientists selected by the
Academy of Science of South Africa to represent South
Africa at the World Economic Forum’s Summer Davos
conference in Dalian, China. Additionally, she has served
as a reviewer for the journal Biomedical Optics and as
an external moderator for the Biomedical Technology
IV module at the Tshwane University of Technology.
More recently, she was appointed by the Office of the
Presidency as the Deputy Chairperson of the Advisory
Council on National Orders.
As a leading scientific and technology research
organisation, the CSIR prides itself in attracting top
women in research and development who have the
technical know-how to shape and shift South Africa’s
local industry.
CSIR Principal Researcher and Research
Group Leader: Biophotonics
Bestowed with the Order of Mapungubwe in Bronze
for her national and international contribution in the
biochemistry and biophotonics fields, Dr Patience
Mthunzi-Kufa has been spearheading the development
and design of novel healthcare solution for 18 years,
with the past three years focusing mainly on photonicsbased
Point-of-Care (PoC) diagnostic devices and

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
African initiatives benefit
STEM female scientists
Alex Rose-Innes
In a blog post by the World Bank, the authors touch on
crucial STEM skills and the necessity for women to
address urgent climate change concerns and health
crises, showing the vital and growing importance of
scientific and technological capacity.
While it is acknowledged that a large disparity in
the number of women in science is redolent of Sub-
Saharan Africa (SSA), the blog shows how scholarships
and innovation funds for applied sciences are raising
barriers. With only 30% of science professionals in SSA
being women, the Africa Regional Scholarship and
Innovation Fund for Applied Sciences, Engineering and
Technology (RSIF) addressing the underrepresentation
of women in STEM at the higher education level.
The RSIF is supported by regional funds from the
International Development Association and was
approved by the World Bank Board in 2018, aims to train
the next generation of highly skilled African scientific
leaders, researchers and innovators to find solutions to
critical development challenges. Since inception, RSIF
had supported 30 women with an additional 44 women
expected to join.
Already these initiatives had seen dynamic young
women such as Jacinta Okwako from Kenya
and Fatoumata Thiam from Senegal undertake valuable
research in solar energy materials and the use of
Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for
sustainable agriculture.
Jacinta, a university lecturer, dreams of an Africa with
100% energy access and as a lecturer and researcher,
wants to nurture innovative ideas among her students to
make advancements in the energy field. Her research is
specifically focused on this.
Fatoumata is investigating the use of the Internet
of Things and AI to design an automated and selfoptimised
irrigation system in the Sahel area. Her
research will facilitate water access for farmers in a
region threatened by scarce rainfall and unpredictable
weather and aims to not only improve crop yields, but
also save water in the process.
The RSIF has been quoted that it “recognises that
supporting these female researchers to perform
to their highest potential requires deliberate and
sustained efforts,” with its ambitious target for women’s
representation among its PhD scholars–50% of the
target scholars.
The goal of the gender strategy “is
not to advantage women relative to
men, but rather to level the playing
field and ensure equal opportunity
for women and men,” - RSIF
RSIF is in the process of developing a formal mentoring
programme to enable RSIF scholars to receive guidance
from experienced individuals in their field and is creating
gender-sensitive codes of practice in the support
and supervision of the scholars by the African Host
Universities and International Partner Institutions. RSIF
is supporting its female PhD students to publish their
research and promote it widely as Africa contributes
to less than 1% of the world’s scientific output.
Publication of research by Africans for African challenges
is important for the emergence of continental solutions
which can be translated into policies and practices
pertaining to the local situation. A greater representation
of women among such published researchers will not
only add to the diversity of thought and innovations but
will also inspire more young girls to take up science and
pursue similar dreams.
In celebration of Women’s Month, Women in Science,
salutes Wangari Maathai, a passionate environmental
conservationist and Nobel Peace Prize winner and
Francisca Nneka Okeke, an accomplished physicist
whose work is furthering the understanding of climate
change.

Wangari Maathai
Francisca Nneka Okeke
Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the
Nobel Peace Prize and former member of the Kenya
Assembly, at the time of her death at age 71 in 2011,
had founded various organisations. These included
The Green Belt Movement, The Nobel Women’s
Initiative and the Mazingira Green Party of Kenya.
Known as the Defender of the Earth and Woman of
Trees, there are gardens across the world remembering
her work as biologist, environmentalist and political
activist.
The first Central African woman to obtain a degree in
Biological Sciences (1966) and became chair of the
Department of Veterinary Anatomy to Nairobi University,
Wangari started her political career in 1977, founding the
environmental non-governmental organisation, Green
Belt Movement.
She tirelessly promoted awareness campaigns on
environmental problems and logging and promoted the
planting of more than 30 million trees in Kenya and in
other African states.
By encouraging African women to fight for a better
life, she was attacked, defamed and imprisoned
many times for her critics about the corrupt Kenyan
regime. In 2002 she was appointed assistant minister
of environment, natural resources and wildlife until
2007. Her Green Belt Movement has paved the way to
all levels society development with education, family
planning, nutrition awareness and the struggle against
corruption.
Maathai became the symbol of the best African forces
and the struggle to promote peace and welfare in the
continent. She won a plethora of international awards.
Upon winning the Nobel Peace Prize, this remarkable
woman decided to celebrate it in the best way she
knows: by planting a tree in the red earth of the valley
dominated by Mount Kenya. In 2006 Maathai published
her memoirs, Unbowed: A Memoir.
Born during a time when female education was foreign
in Africa, Professor Francisca Nneka Okeke rose above
the stereotypes to become one of the leading Nigerian
women in science, paving the way for the younger
generation. At age 18, Francisca married renowned
physicist, Professor Okeke and is mother to six children.
She studied physics at the University of Nigeria where
she became a Professor of physics. Her area of
specialisation is Ionosphere and she has conducted
many researches in this field. She is most noted for
studying the equatorial electro jet phenomenon, which
explains how a river of electric current traversing the
globe eastward around the dip equator causes the
magnetic field at the dip equator to vary almost five
times more than anywhere else on the planet.
She has also done extensive research on the effect of
solar activity on the earth’s magnetic field which could
lead to more understanding of climate change and
natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. So
far, she has supervised about 28 Master students and 12
PhD students. Prof Okeke was the first female head of
department at the University of Nigeria and also served
as the first female Dean of the Faculty of Physical
Sciences from 2008 till 2010.
With her influence, she has advocated for a better
inclusion of women in science, particularly the
department of physics and because of this, three
female lecturers were added to the faculty. In 2011, she
was inducted into the Nigerian Academy of Science
alongside other brilliant minds such as Abba Gumel,
a professor of mathematical biology. In 2013, she was
also awarded for her contributions to physics which may
help us further our understanding of climate change and
named L’Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Awards
Laureate for Africa.
Women have vital contributions to make to science
and serves as thoughtful leaders with novel solutions
to complex development challenges. We must actively
seek to foster female talent in STEM to nurture more
such influential leaders and benefit from the ingenuity,
expertise and fresh perspectives women have to offer.

TRIBUTE
Seldom do local communities acquaint
themselves with careers such as Agronomist.
In fact, many would think of the phrase
“Agronomist” as a fancy title that seems too
aloof to achieve. But for one black woman,
her mission was to defy the odds and dispel any myths
that such titles were only reserved for a privileged few.
Her name was Ndoni Mcunu.
A young pioneer and par excellence in the science world,
Mcunu established the Young Black Women in Science
at the age of 25. The NGO is a research programme
that aims to encourage women’s participation in STEM
careers, technology, mentoring and education. We do so
by approaching the career of a scientist in a trans and
inter-disciplinary manner.
According to Mchunu, one of the reasons she had
established the organisation was “to respond to
complaints from other science students, who felt the
same worry about their skills and sense of isolation that
I did.” She was referring to the challenges that she had
encountered in pursuing her entry into the academic
sector.
In one interview with the SABC, South Africa’s public
broadcaster, Mcunu, who in 2017 was also elected to
join the Mandela Washington Fellowship said:

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
Paying tribute to
a game-changer for black women in science
Alex Rose-Innes
entrepreneur and co-founder of Women in Engineering
(WomEng). Her famous mantra has always been:
“You are failing because you are trying, so keep trying.”
But those who spent time with her or were impacted talk
of an inspiring 31-year-old whose only preoccupation
was collecting awards. Not at all. Her role was also
that of a mentor. This was evident in her involvement in
the For Women in Science conference held in Paris in
March which aimed to provide an outreach platform to
underprivileged learners from across the world.
At one stage she boldly stated that the challenge was
no longer enrolling young black girls at universities or
introducing them into the science field but rather keeping
them in those institutions right until their dreams are
realised.
“There is a stereotype around Science as a whole. It’s a
scary thing. When you say to a high school student to do
maths core (school subject), it’s a case (of that student)
thinking that no, I don’t want to do that. I’m going to fail
instantly.”
She added that a lot of the challenges stem from
confidence and the exposure that these young women
or girls don’t have in the science industry. She further
highlighted in a TedEx talk on future leaders in Africa
that while successful scientists around the world were
more men, there had to be a collective effort in ensuring
that this changes going forward, particularly in the 21st
century.
The member of the Resilient 40 was in the past
honoured with the Gagasi FM Shero Award in the
Science and Technology and also formed part of The
Mail & Guardian 200 Young Influential South Africans in
2016 under the education sector.
Her most notable and last achievement was when she
was awarded the Most Distinguished Women Changer
Maker by Humanitarian Awards Global on April 8, 2022
alongside former Executive Director of UN Women
Dr Phumzile Mlambo–Ngcuka and philanthropist and
businesswoman Dr Precious Motsepe as well as
Naadiya Moosajee, South African engineer, social
“The challenges we are missing is them staying in the
university system and academia, either pursuing a postgraduate
degree or getting into professorship and that is
where we see them leaving the system.”
She also alluded to the fact there is still a dire need for
mentorship. This, she said, includes financial support
and “understanding that the models we attract these
young women into are not the model they need” and that
rather they need models that are going to be defined
by them and implemented for the next generations to
come.”
To quote remarks by the Wits Global Change Institute
where Mcunu was a friend, a colleague and a PhD
candidate, South Africa has certainly “lost a future
leader.” Ndoni passed away on April 16 while on
vacation with friends at the Cradle of Human Kind.
The cause of her death has been linked to gas leakage
at the accommodation venue.
A memorial service will be held on April 22 in Sandton
and a funeral will take place on April 30 in La Lucia
Durban. Hamba Kahle ntokazi (farewell young woman)
Indoni Yamanzi.
You have certainly left your mark as a young
African child.
17

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
TIA DELIBERATE IN
SUPPORTING WOMEN TO
COMMERCIALISE
INNOVATIONS
WOMEN’S
MONTH
2022
Women’s month provides an opportunity to pay tribute
to generations of women whose struggles laid the
foundation for the progress made in empowering women
and advancing gender equity. As the country observes
Women month, the Technology Innovation Agency
(TIA) joins in celebrating the contribution women are
making in building and transforming society. The agency
supports and celebrates women in the technology
innovation sector and recognises their pivotal role and
contribution in developing new innovations and growing
our economy.
TIA is an entity of the Department of Science
and Innovation (DSI) established to promote the
development and exploitation of discoveries, inventions,
and innovations to improve the quality of life for all
South Africans by bridging the innovation chasm
between research and commercialisation. In bridging
the innovation chasm, TIA is an active funder, connector,
facilitator and enabler.
We believe women play an important role in improving
the quality of life for South Africans and making our
economy globally competitive. More and more women
have been making a contribution to the economy
through innovation and entrepreneurship. TIA has
been deliberate in ensuring that women are an integral
part of the commercialisation of innovations. Of the
innovators supported and funded by TIA, 37% are
women and this number keeps growing as the agency
continues to engage more women who have innovations
that would facilitate the translation of South Africa’s
knowledge resources into sustainable, socio-economic
opportunities.
Within TIA’s portfolio there are remarkable women
who have risen against all odds to develop exciting
innovations in various sectors.
18

Dr Nomusa Dlamini
Project Title: Development of Mycotoxin Field Screening Tools
Rapid Diagnostic Test kit (Lateral flow kit) for quality control at production site and or
testing for mycotoxins in food and feed commodities at import and export markets; and for
commercial and small-scale farmers.
Prof Christine Maritz-Olivier
Project Title: Evaluation, formulation, and optimization of next generation
cattle tick vaccine
Technology package for of recombinant proteins conjugated to an immunostimulant
toxoid protein (produced at sufficient economically viable levels), combined with the
most effective adjuvant formulation (producing the least unwanted side-effects) that can
be given to cattle hosts via immunization to confer effective protection against cattle tick
infestations.
Prof Anna-lise Williamson
Project Title: Recombinant vaccines against lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) and
bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV)
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) and bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) are two cattle diseases
of economic importance. The development of a single vaccine for control of the two
viral diseases would be attractive to cattle owners and vaccine manufactures, due to
the reduction in cost and number of vaccines administered. In addition, concomitant
vaccination against the two diseases will automatically reduce the incidence of BEF.
Dr Jenny-Lee Panayides
Project Title: Development of a continuous hybrid/flow-based process for local
production of antimalarial drugs.
The research focuses on the development and manufacture of integrated, digitally
enabled, flow-based processing technology of antimalarial drugs for the African continent
using economical, greener and safer means.
Dr Amanda Skepu
Project Title: Development of a rapid point- of-care screening test kit for acute
kidney injury (AKI)
AKI is a side effect of Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) therapy in HIV patients.
Early detection and treatment of AKI can assist with adherence to anti-retroviral
treatment. The project aims to develop an alternative, highly sensitive, specific and
cost-effective method for early screening and detection of AKI, that can be used at a
point-of care-setting.
Maretha Fourie
Project Title: Legacy nuclear waste beneficiation
Uranium is a toxic radioactive metal that needs to be decontaminated safely to prevent
harmful effects on humans and the environment. The research looks at the removal
and recovery of uranium present in historical radioactive waste using hydrometallurgical
process steps.
19

Prof Maritha Kotze
Project Title: The Open Genome Project
The project aims to personalise breast cancer treatment options for patients by fostering
data sharing, service and research integration between clinicians and geneticists. The
algorithm works well and has recently been expanded through creation of the Gknowmix
mobile phone app to support healthcare practitioners in applying personalised genomic
medicine in routine clinical practice.
Hafizah Yousuf Chenia
Project Title: Bio-based, anti-fouling coating for marine surfaces
Marine biofouling is the undesirable accumulation of microorganisms, plants, or marine
animals (barnacles, mussels) on submerged man-made surfaces. It is a massive
global problem for the maritime and aquaculture industries. The project exploits natural
marine associations which will be used to produce nanoparticles as an additive for
environmentally friendly antifouling coating to enable easier cleaning and maintenance of
submerged marine and aquaculture surfaces.
Prof Rencia van der Sluis
Project Title: Single nucleotide polymorphism parentage verification panel of nine
African lovebird species
Lovebird trade is a lucrative global market with high prices paid for pure breeds.
There is a lack of knowledge on the types of lovebirds and cross-breeding is rife. The
project sequenced the first lovebird genome and subsequently used this knowledge to
construct and validate a panel of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that can
be used to identify different species and verify breed purity.
Kathryn Malherbe
Project Title: MedSol
SMART - a diagnosis method-based software algorithm which can identify and correctly
term the type of breast cancer depicted on ultrasound. It is an AI based breast cancer
diagnostic solution. The solution enables effective diagnosis of cancer with the ability
to determine the type of breast cancer upon diagnosis. Med Sol AI offers the health
practitioners diagnostic input for quicker turnaround time, treatment and surgical
intervention.
Prof Namrita Lall
Project Title: GR Active
The plant Greyia radlkoferi (GR) also known as isdwadwa, umbande or indalu, is native
to South Africa, growing in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The plant is used
for infusions in traditional medicine. The aim of the project is to upscale and optimize the
process for extracting skin tone actives for the cosmetics market from the “GR Active”
plant. Skin tone actives would be used in cosmetic applications to combat uneven skin
tone, dark spots, and blemishes.
Retang Phaahla
Project Title: Setsong Tea
Setsong Tea developed infused products from an indigenous African Flora found in
Limpopo province. The tea range is known for its health benefits with high level of
antioxidants, vitamin A, C, E and Zinc. Health benefits range from detoxification, improved
digestion, and anti-fatigue. The tea products range from Tepane Black Bush tea, hormonal
balance tea, sleepy tea, flu & respiratory treatment tea, detox and nerve calming tea.
20

Thuli Mthethwa
Project Title: Memeza
Memeza has developed South Africa’s first Public Alarm system. The innovation is
designed and built for low-income communities who do not have access to private
security. It is aimed at the safety of the vulnerable such as women, children, the elderly,
disabled and Public Schools. The innovation is designed to reduce the pandemic of
missing children, human trafficking, and gender-based violence.
Mary Ranketse
Project Title: Genomic characterization and resources for Macadamia nut cultivars
South Africa one of the largest macadamia nut producers in the world. DNA fingerprinting
is a direct service output to the local industry to enable growers and breeders to uniquely
identify cultivars and ensure genetic integrity through the breeding, propagation, and
deployment stages of cultivar development. The study will assist growers and breeders to
leverage the benefits of genomics and molecular tools while supporting formal breeding
programs in the industry. This will support the development of scarce skills specific for
macadamia breeders and contribute to job security.
Dr Nanette Christie
Project Title: The Pitro50K SNP chip
This SNP chip is the first building block towards genome-assisted breeding in tropical
pines, which will ultimately influence gene conservation and forest tree health in South
Africa. The industry supports hundreds of thousands of people and needs to remain
feasible and internationally competitive. The technology would be useful for genetic
resource management which could impact policy regarding afforestation and the
development of a sustainable forestry bioeconomy in South Africa.
Commercialising Innovations is core to the mandate of TIA and contributes to enterprise development.
Women owned and run start-ups are an integral part of these developments. TIA has a critical role to fulfil
as an Industry Builder. Industry Builders focus on transforming an economy by supporting the development
of new sectors. Technology innovation and entrepreneurship are vital for boosting economic growth and
reducing social inequality.

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
GBV pandemic:
what has gone wrong?
Alex Rose-Innes
men not exhibiting “masculine enough” traits are seen as
“inferior”. This means GBV is more than just a random
occurrence; instead it is an outcome of patriarchy. It is
constructed and designed by patriarchal systems that
many unquestioningly embrace.
Symptom of a society
Patriarchy is physical and symbolic male violence
towards women and other marginalized gender groups;
as a result, GBV is not accidental. It is a structural
feature of the current family and social set up. It is
a common, predictable symptom of a society that
threads the idea of women being inferior across all
social spaces, be it churches, places of work, academic
institutions, government and our communities at large.
Nombulelo Shange
Some of the common misconceptions about gender
based violence are that it is new, it only affects women
and it does not affect the educated, rich or elite of
society. The challenge with these misconceptions is that
they turn gender-based violence (GBV) into a women’s
issue, not something the rest of society should have to
burden itself with.
Dismantling social structures
Additionally, heterosexual men and members of the
LGBT+ community who fall victim of GBV get even less
support from relevant institutions. They also suggest
that GBV is an unlikely emerging abnormality only
driven by poverty or social decay. But the reality is GBV
touches all of us in some way or another and it requires
a total dismantling of social structures and shifting of
mentalities to address.
GBV is not a random occurrence
Radical feminism emerging in the late 1960s in America,
suggests that abuse is a result of patriarchy which sees
men as “superior”. While women, LGBT+ community and
Treating women as inferior
These are all spaces where women participation
is limited, and women leadership is forbidden or
scarce. These various social institutions and their
representatives often act shocked when implicated in
GBV allegations. They quickly distance themselves
from the perpetrator. They portray the actions of the
perpetrator as violent, unusual and not a reflection of
their culture or views.
They refuse to acknowledge that their treatment of
women is what births the more violent acts like rape,
beating, murder and even emotional and verbal
abuse. Women are seen as inferior, as something to
be controlled and must submit to the dominance of
“superior men”.
Financial dependency on men
They forget the general unequal distribution of resources
that pushes women into poverty and that the gender
pay gap sees most South African women earn 23% to
35% less than men. This often leaves women financially
dependent on their abusers in cases where they are
being victimized by a partner or family members.
They forget that their discomfort with the LGBT+
community and their refusal to even acknowledge their
humanity is an erasure that can lead to real and violent
harm or hate targeted toward the community.
22

Challenging patriarchy in various ways
To eradicate GBV, we must deal with patriarchy first,
any solutions that look at GBV as isolated and not
as structural causation are nothing more that band
aid solutions, they will not work. There are decades,
arguably centuries of feminist resistance that have
challenged patriarchy in various ways and remarkable
strides have been made.
From suffragette movements fighting for women’s right
to vote and participate in public life and leadership
in the west, to Marxist feminists fighting for equal
representation at work in the east. And South African
women like Mam Winnie Mandela, Albertina Sisulu,
Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Suzman, Mam’Nomvo “Poqokazi”
Booi and many others leading our struggle for freedom
when many male leaders had been killed, banned, jailed
or banished into exile.
Men must play a role
Though male participation in the agenda to disrupt
patriarchy is often lacking, it is still very important. Men
have a role to play in acknowledging the unfair ways
patriarchy benefits them in ways that create power
imbalances between them and women. Men in addition
must acknowledge the dangerous contradictions of
patriarchy. Patriarchy’s suggestions that being a man is
to be a provider, that men must be strong and be able
to protect themselves and those close to them even
through violent means.
Patriarchy also hurts men
Patriarchy punishes men who are not providers, with
poverty, they are generally seen as weak and when they
turn to crime to remedy this challenge, the state and
judiciary responds to them with violence. The confusing
way in which patriarchy both promotes and punishes
violence is another factor that often leads to male
prisons being overcrowded. Men need to realise that
patriarchy hurts them just as much, if not at times, more
than it hurts other marginalised gender groups.
The current hijacked ‘women’s
empowerment’ hype is not a
real conversation because it
is not transformative. It is a
smokescreen, and assumes that
women are the only ones who
need empowerment, as limited as
routes to such empowerment are.
It leaves…violent masculinities
untouched.
She further challenges the idea of South Africa being
a state that empowers women and argues states that
empower women - and other marginalised gender
groups - ensure freedom of movement, sexual autonomy
and safety. A state that empowers marginalised genders
groups does not allow a war to be waged against people
making up most of the population. And most importantly,
a country that empowers women, would never allow their
oppression to reach pandemic proportions.
Nombulelo Shange is a sociology lecturer
and the chairperson of the University of
the Free State Women’s Forum. Views
expressed in the article do not necessary
reflect those of Torque Media.
Men must challenge patriarchy like
feminists do
Men need to be just as active and passionate in
challenging patriarchy as feminists have been, even if
it means relinquishing privileges, leadership roles and
benefits they have received from patriarchal systems.
Men also need to be honest about the role they have
played in consciously or unconsciously disempowering
women or undermining their struggles. They must
atone, change their behaviour and use their powers to
transform social structures they preside over.
Endemic gender-based violence
In a 2007 essay titled; How the ‘cult of femininity’
and violent masculinities support endemic gender
based violence in contemporary South Africa, Pumla
Gqola suggests men need to go through a type of
empowerment that sees them reject violent masculinity.
23

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
The curse of gender based violence:
How can it be addressed?
Dibeela Mothupi
South Africa is rated as the most unsafe place
in the world to be a woman, because women
are being violated on a daily basis. These
women are violated either by someone very
close to them or a stranger they have never
even met before. Some to the victims of gender-based
violence (GBV) never report their cases, because
they fear being stigmatised, or they fear secondary
victimisation at the hand of law enforcement officers
or health practitioners at public hospitals. Some do
not report to the authorities because they have lost
confidence in our justice system.
Bill of rights
South African women have become prisoners in their
homes, where they can’t even guarantee their own
safety because some get attacked in the comfort of their
own homes. Others get violated in their workplaces and
experience violations at the hand of their own partners.
Women are violated even though the Bill of rights
enshrines the rights of all people and affirms democratic
values of human dignity, equality and freedom. Added
to the Bill of rights , the South African government has
passed a plethora of laws to mitigate against GBV,
however, the violations of women’s right to safety in
particular continues unabated. The continuation of GBV
costs the government billions of rands on an annual
basis.
Eradicating violence against women
As much as government has passed laws to mitigate
violence against women, it has not created an
environment that enables women’s safety as citizens.
However, in providing services, government does not
apply a gender lens, for example, the building of road
networks; where do the roads lead, what services
are they connecting communities, is there enough
lighting on the roads or streets as well as the state and
maintenance of these roads. Infrastructure development
has a direct impact on the safety of women within
communities and cannot be ignored when dealing with
GBV. Therefore, planning within government must
also contribute towards eradication of violence against
women.
Dismantling patriarchy
For a start, for us to end violence against women we
need to dismantle patriarchy by all means. This is
because patriarchy is the source of men’s feeling of
entitlement over women and their bodies. Patriarchy
is the root of gender norms and stereotypes within
our society which have led to women being preyed on
and men becoming predators. The society has to be
educated and engaged on the eradication of cultural
and traditional beliefs, practices, and stereotypes which
legitimises and exacerbates the persistent tolerance of
violence against women.
We need to educate society and engage them on gender
equality, because the inequalities are a fertile ground for
GBV directed towards women. It is about time people
treated GBV as a societal issue and not just a women’s
issue because it challenges the moral fibre of the
broader society. Gender education must be integrated
within the education system, so that both the girl and boy
child can learn about equality from an early age in order
to build a responsible citizenry.
Men should be part of solution to GBV
Over years we have put the burden of dealing with GBV
on women or the survivors and victims. It is as though
we have brought survivors and victims into a room to
talk about GBV and locked the perpetrators outside
and far from the discussion table. It is about time we
opened the door and let the perpetrators in and invite
them to the discussion table so that they can be part of
the solution. The boy child and men needs to be part of
the discussions so that they can contribute towards the
solution to this societal problem and not just women. The
society at large must face this monster; the government
has passed laws to deal with the perpetrators of violence
against women. It has also come up with programmes
24

OPINION PIECE
for the rehabilitation of survivors. However not enough
has been done to identify causes of violence against
women so that relevant measures can be put in place to
prevent it.
Police’s handling of GBV cases
We cannot overlook the role played by the justice system
towards survivors and victims of GBV, as it is also very
important in dealing with it. While an expectation is that
harshest of sentences be given to perpetrators, it also
becomes equally important that the law enforcement
closes the gaps in handling cases of GBV, so that they
do not fail survivors and victims. Government has to
ensure that the police are trained in handling GBV
cases so that their line of questioning and their attitudes
do not subject women to secondary victimisation. It
is also a responsibility of government to ensure that
laboratories dealing with DNA evidence samples do not
cause unnecessary delays in dealing with the samples.
The laboratories must be strengthened to respond to
pressures being placed on them by the high incidents of
GBV in South Africa.
in order to find a solution. The government still has to
identify possible causes of GBV or factors influencing it,
in order for us to identify possible solutions to mitigate it;
we cannot as a society address a challenge when we do
not know its causes.
Dibeela Mothupi is a commissioner at the
Commission for Gender Equality. Views expressed
in the article are hers and do not reflect those of
Media Torque
Alcohol contributes to GBV
Within services provided for survivors and victims
of GBV, the government also has a responsibility of
providing programmes for rehabilitation of survivors of
GBV including providing temporary shelters for their
safety. Provision of these services should not just be an
exercise for ticking the box rather it should be effective
and efficient services. From a number of police stations
around the country, it has become evident that the
highest number of GBV cases are reported during the
weekends and during the festive season. In addition,
most of the perpetrators are found to be under the
influence of alcohol.
Identifying solutions to GBV
This may be an indication of the relationship between
alcohol and GBV and may therefore call upon the society
together with government to look at this relationship
25

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
20 Inspiring Quotes from
Women in STEM
Imagine a world where SCIENCE to the power of WOMEN in AFRICA. Science is theory, Science is Action.
Alone these are both capable, but together they are infinitely powerful.
The same is true for women in STEM. ALONE WE ARE CAPABLE. TOGETHER WE ARE POWERFUL. Alone
we are doing great things, but together we are a powerful collective of knowledge, ideas, experiences and
actions that have the power to change the world and make a world of change.
Here are their pearls of wisdom...
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“Women are intelligent, resilient and capable of so much. It is our (women in STEMi) responsibility to be
the role models for the younger generations, to encourage them, create the hype and to validate their
potential,” Nontobeko Maringa
“If you’re a young girl, a woman, no matter where, no matter how old you are, and your heart is in science,
don’t be afraid. Go there boldly. After all nothing will stop a woman, ready to work and conduct scientific
discoveries”. Yuliia Bezverskenko.
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“It is not enough to simply promote the participation of women; we need to establish environments that
develop young women into independent thinkers and leaders in STEM(i). Female scientists need a system
that creates equal opportunity for them to lead science policy and dialogues and head innovation ventures,
not only play a supportive role,” she says. Ms Bathabile Ramalapa
“Be prepared to work hard at all times and especially when no-one is looking”.
Diversity needs you! Ms. Faith February
“Being Women comes with gifts: we are born with special amount of resilience, gentleness, and empathy.
Often one has to tap in all of that to overcome inevitable obstacles”. Dr Bolelang Sebolla.
“ With preservation and solidarity, the future is full of promise for women in science, and there are excellent
prospects for us to play meaningful roles crafting the smart towns and cities of the future”. Peta De Jager.
“We will have succeeded when gender is no longer an issue in certain career types and positions”.
Dr Rosinah Modiba. CSIR
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WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
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“Woman, be fearless, be free to dream, be free to collaborate, be free to ask questions, be free to excel and
be free to succeed”. Amanda Obidike.
“Trust your intuition. You cannot ask people for directions to places they have never been – your vision and
dreams.” Emmie Chiyindiko.
“Now that I know that there are no limits, like a wild fire in an open filed, I will reach greater heights”.
Lunga Nkosi
Don’t allow naysayers to distract you from your dream just because they think your dream is too ambitious”
Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng
“One of the biggest challenges for me, as a woman in this field, is to be recognised for what I do and not for
what I look like”. Dr Elliosha Hajari.
“I had to overcome gender bias by showing that she could work just as long hours as men in an
uncomfortable way. Prof Lesley Cornish.
“Regardless of your gender, race or creed, you will have attributes that make you unique and that will
compliment your skill. It is all about seeing how best you can make it work,” Dr Nontuthuko Ntuli.
“Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing,” Katherine Johnson
“Let’s accelerate the women in STEM agenda today; tomorrow will be too late!
– Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly
“As a young black woman, I have what it takes to become a renowned independent scientist and a leader in
my chosen career field” Dr Caroline Pule.
“Your gender as a woman does not define your potential capabilities,” Josephine Edward.
“It is possible to do it. Remember you are challenging the status quo. Be willing to put in the time from the
beginning,” Dr Nobuhle Majozi
Women in STEM are here and they’re here to stay. We applaud them and support them. “Be bold, it’s your
time to shine”, Nthabiseng Mokake.
27

WOMEN’S MONTH 2022
Women who change the world
Alex Rose-Innes
Gender equality is crucial for achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.
However, despite efforts to ensure gender parity in
science, the ratio of women in science, technology,
engineering and maths — STEM — is still low and
reports of gender discrimination across these sectors
are still rife. UNESCO stated that there is a gender gap
in science and according to data from the UNESCO
Institute for Statistics (UIS), less than 30% of the world’s
researchers are women.
Despite all the barriers women in STEM face, there are
many African women who have broken through maleenforced
glass ceilings to become the future of science
and the hope of many girls and young women with the
same dreams.
Quarraisha Abdool Karim from South
Africa-UNAIDS Special Ambassador for
Adolescents and HIV
Quarraisha Abdool Karim is one of the world’s leading
AIDS researchers, whose pioneering contributions in
understanding the evolving HIV epidemic among young
women have changed the landscape of this pandemic.
She is known for her continuous advocating for the rights
of people living with and affected by HIV. As UNAIDS
Special Ambassador, her focus is on adolescents and
HIV, while also championing young women and STEM.
In her role as Associate Scientific Director of the
Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South
Africa (SA), her main research interests are based
on understanding the evolving HIV epidemic in SA,
including factors influencing the acquisition of HIV by
adolescent girls, as well as sustainable strategies to
introduce antiretroviral therapy in resource-constrained
settings.
She holds professorships in clinical epidemiology at the
Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University
in the United States of America and in public health
at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine at the
University of KwaZulu-Natal, SA and is also a visiting
scientist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and
visiting lecturer at Harvard University, both in the United
States. Since 1998, she has played a central role in
building the science base in southern Africa through the
Columbia University–Southern African Fogarty AIDS
International Training and Research Programme, which
has trained more than 600 scientists in southern Africa.
She was the principal investigator in the landmark
CAPRISA 004 tenofovir gel trial, which provided proof
of concept for microbicides, highlighted by Science
magazine as one of the top 10 scientific breakthroughs
in 2010. She has written more than 170 peer-reviewed
publications and has authored several books and book
chapters.
Ms Abdool Karim is currently a member of the UNAIDS
Scientific Expert Panel and Scientific Adviser to the
Executive Director of UNAIDS, a Scientific Advisory
Board member of the United States President’s
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Chair of the
PEPFAR PrEP Expert Working Group, Advisory Group
member of the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in
Science in Africa, a member of the HIV Centre Strategic
28

Advisory Committee, the Deputy Chair of the South
African Medical Research Council Board and the
National Institutes of Health Office of AIDS Research
Microbicides Planning Group. She is also current Vice-
President (Southern African Region) of the African
Academy of Sciences.
Dr Margaret Mungherera from Jinja in Uganda became
the first female African President of the World Medical
Association in 2013, selected by 50 prestigious medical
organisations across the world.
Her uncle was the first medical doctor in Eastern
Uganda and her aunt on her mother’s side was the first
female mayor in Uganda. With such a legacy, it is no
surprise that Mungherera decided to pursue medicine,
receiving her Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelors of
Surgery at Makerere University in Kampala in Uganda.
Later on, she obtained a Tropical Medicine Degree at the
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
She had ambitions of entering the medical field from
childhood and has spoken of the challenges faced in the
field and the need to believe in yourself to achieve your
dreams.
Ozak Esu
Dr Esu was named one of the Top 50 Women under
35 in Engineering in the United Kingdom by The
Telegraph and was shortlisted among the top six finalists
of the International Engineering Young Woman of the
Year Award last year.
Dr Esu became an engineer to fix Nigeria’s energy
problem. Her passion for sustainable engineering
development has already seen her cement establishing
her presence as one of the truly inspirational female
engineers shaping the world today.
Prof Alta Schutte
Prof Schutte is a respected and well-known South
African hypertension and heart disease specialist.
She made it clear on many occasions that her main
motivation is to alleviate the burden of HIV infection
and non-communicable diseases of black communities
in Sub-Saharan Africa. She obtained a PhD in
Cardiovascular Physiology at the young age of 24 and
continues to work as part of the Hypertension in Africa
Research Team (HART) towards discovering ways to
prevent Africans from developing hypertension.
The late Dr Margaret Mungherera
(1957-2017)
29

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