National Science Month is on the road, and this week it arrives in one of KwaZulu-Natal’s most rural corners: Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Nomalungelo Gina leads a career expo in the uMkhanyakude District on Friday, bringing bursary information, STEM career guidance and hands-on science to learners far from the big cities.
The expo takes place on 24 July 2026 at the Manguzi Sports Centre in the Umhlabuyalingana Local Municipality, near the country’s north-eastern border. It forms part of National Science Month, the country’s first, which Gina launched earlier this month at the Vaal University of Technology.
Opening doors in uMkhanyakude
The event is designed to expand access to science, technology and innovation opportunities for learners and young people in a district where such exposure is rare. It brings together government departments, science councils, higher education institutions and other stakeholders under one roof.
For learners and out-of-school youth, that means direct access to information on:
- Career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
- Bursaries and funding for further study.
- STEM-related study fields and training pathways.
- Future-oriented skills that will matter in tomorrow’s economy.
Crucially, the expo is not just talks and pamphlets. It features interactive exhibitions and demonstrations that give attendees the chance to engage with science and technology in practical, accessible and exciting ways – the kind of first-hand encounter that turns curiosity into a career.
A national movement for science
National Science Month is an initiative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, implemented through the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement. Its goal is to promote public interest in science, technology and innovation and to demonstrate their impact on everyday life.
By taking the campaign to Manguzi rather than a metropolitan convention centre, the department is making a pointed statement: the next generation of South African scientists, engineers and innovators can come from anywhere, and the opportunities must travel to meet them.
Digital migration comes along for the ride
The visit doubles as a service-delivery moment. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, which is conducting outreach in the district as part of the Broadcast Digital Migration Programme, will also participate in the career expo, while Gina will visit households where the switch from analogue to digital television is being rolled out.
It is a fitting pairing, according to details published by SAnews: on the same day young people in uMkhanyakude explore careers in technology, homes around them take a concrete step into the digital future.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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