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TSHWANE, Dec. 2 (Live) – South Africa’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, emphasizes that science journalism plays a vital role in fostering public confidence in scientific endeavors and ensuring that scientific knowledge contributes to creating a fair and compassionate society.

Hosting the World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ) 2025 on Tuesday, Nzimande mentioned that South Africa is proud to be the first African nation to organize the event. He added that the conference provides a chance to highlight the country’s scientific and cultural accomplishments, including excursions to locations like the Square Kilometre Array.

Nzimande stated that the conference’s theme, “Science journalism and social justice: journalism that fosters understanding and resilience,” highlights the importance of applying science to address global issues such as inequality, conflict, pandemics, and climate change.

He mentioned that the theme also emphasizes the significance of how science is conveyed and its impact on public perceptions, noting that scientific understanding should always benefit humanity.

“Our goal is to create a society that is knowledgeable about science and capable of forming its own views. Science reporting is essential in converting complicated information into something easy to understand,” he stated.

Referencing the 2022 South African Public Relationship with Science survey, Nzimande noted that South Africa is witnessing an increasing number of science-conscious citizens, with television (60%), the internet (52%), and radio (51%) becoming the primary channels for receiving scientific information.

He mentioned that the government is enhancing its Science Engagement Program and collaborating with media organizations to provide unemployed journalism graduates with hands-on experience in science reporting.

Nzimande stated that science journalism should also promote international collaboration.

He stated, ‘We should employ science journalism as a means to foster science diplomacy and the development of global unity.’