Image: National Science Month and International Mandela Day coincided in 2026 with the hosting of a Science for Human Rights: Mandela’s Legacy Webinar

The legacy of former South African President and international icon of peace reconciliation and democracy, Dr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, is celebrated globally on 18 July every year. In 2026 this legacy merged in time with the inaugural National Science Month (NSM) which will, from now, be hosted annually in July.

The result was a celebration of Science and Human Rights by the National System of Innovation (NSI) in communities across the land.

On Mandela Day 2026, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) collaborated with the National Research Foundation’s business unit, the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (NRF-SAASTA) and various experts to host a webinar titled “Mandela’s Legacy” that went to the heart of the way in which Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) can support and amplify Human Rights.

This NSM webinar brought together leading experts from law, forensic science, public health, IT, genomics and gender studies to explore how science can become a powerful instrument for justice, equality and human dignity. Hosted under the theme of Nelson Mandela’s enduring legacy, the dialogue challenged participants to consider science not only as a driver of innovation but also as a public good that improves the lives of all South Africans.

The webinar opened with an inspirational reflection from programme director, Vukosi Mashele, linking Mandela’s lifelong commitment to justice with the transformative power of science. He encouraged the audience to imagine communities where science helps eradicate poverty, technology protects human dignity, provides equal access to scientific opportunity for every child, and innovation that leaves no-one behind.

A prime example of this was a presentation by youth inventor, IT student and 2026 Forbes Women Africa Young Achiever Award winner, Bohlale Mphahlele. Before winning the prestigious Forbes honor, her groundbreaking wearable technology earned her a medal in the engineering-electronics category at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists when she was still a scholar. She then went on to establish Mphahlele Alerts (Pty) Ltd to scale the production of her device – the Alerting Earpiece – a piece of tech that protects women against violence and abduction. Bohlale remains passionate about using technology and innovation in the protection of human rights and dignity.

Setting the scene was Advocate Lufuno Nevhutalu, Constitution Expert and Senior Lecturer at the University of Limpopo; Board Member of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and Former Deputy Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Museum Council. His presentation showed that STI is embedded within South Africa’s constitutional democracy and should advance human rights, equality and social justice. He explored constitutional accountability, parliamentary oversight, judicial independence, and the importance of evidence-based policymaking with concrete examples from constitutional court cases.

Professor Ryan Blumenthal, Senior Specialist Forensic Pathologist at the University of Pretoria and bestselling author presented a case for forensic science being about far more than solving crimes. He stated that it protects public health, safeguards human rights and gives a voice to those who can no longer speak. He described forensics as “science in service of society.”

“Inclusive science produces better science,” was the main position presented by Professor Tulio de Oliveira, Director at the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) and Pro Vice-Chancellor at Stellenbosch University. He is also a recent recipient of the prestigious Order of Mapungubwe in Gold.

Drawing on international research and his own experiences in leading global genomic surveillance initiatives, Professor de Oliveira argued that diversity is not simply a moral imperative rather it significantly improves scientific outcomes. He indicated that research shows greater diversity consistently achieves higher scientific impact, increased innovation, stronger international collaboration and improved problem-solving. Professor de Oliveira highlighted South Africa’s globally recognised leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that much of this success resulted from highly diverse scientific teams working collaboratively across disciplines and nationalities.

Echoing this sentiment was Dr Thembelihle Bongwana, Gender and Science Strategist at the University of the Western Cape, who drew on her research into gender dynamics within South African astronomy institutions to examine how organisational culture can unintentionally exclude women despite transformation efforts. She mentioned barriers for women such as limited leadership opportunities, work-life balance pressures, male-dominated networking environments, gender bias and sexual harassment concerns.

Dr. Bongwana argued that representation alone is insufficient and called for institutions to transform their cultures so that the barriers for women are removed. “Diversity should extend beyond recruitment to genuine inclusion,” she said, indicating that innovation flourishes when everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute.

The discussions reinforced that science should be ethical, accessible, inclusive and responsive to society’s challenges, supporting the constitutional rights of all citizens while contributing to sustainable development.

In this way, the webinar reaffirmed that South Africa’s scientific community has an important role to play in building a nation where innovation serves everyone; no one is left behind; and science continues to be a catalyst for sustainable development and social transformation.