| Ms | Loshini | Pillay | University of South Africa | South Africa | Environmental Science | Environmental management | Best Researcher Award | |
| Dr | Reynold | Chow | Stellenbosch University | South Africa | Environmental Science | Hydro(geo)logy and Water Quality | Best Researcher Award | |
| Mr | Labau | Cremer | Stellenbosch University | South Africa | Engineering | Biomedical Engineering | Best Researcher Award | |
| Prof | Sunny | IYUKE | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg & Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria | South Africa | Chemical Engineering | Energy | Best Researcher Award | |
| Mr | Haydn | Fensham | University of the Witwatersrand | South Africa | Engineering | Electrical | Best Researcher Award | |
| Dr | Kennedy | Manduna | The International Research Group on Authoritarianism and Counter-Strategies (IRGAC) of the Rosa Luxemburg-Stiftung, and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg | South Africa | Social Sciences | Natural Resource Governance and Management | Young Scientist Award | |
| Dr | Tanay | Bose | University of Pretoria | South Africa | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Microbial Diversity | Best Researcher Award | |
| Dr | Ndaleni | Rantsatsi | University of Johannesburg | South Africa | Other | Construction health and safety | Excellence in Innovation | |
| Mr | Bright | Mukwedeya | University of KwaZulu-Natal | South Africa | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Food security | Best Researcher Award | |
| Ms | Samira | Gholizadeh | University of Cape Town | South Africa | Engineering | Mechanical Engineering | Best Researcher Award | |
| Mr | Daniel | Ossulivan-Hewlett | University of Cape Town | South Africa | Engineering | Geo-informatics | Young Scientist Award | |
| Mr | Verbra | Pfeiffer | University of South Africa | South Africa | Arts and Humanities | Education | Best Researcher Award | |
| Dr | Romano | Lottering | University of KwaZulu-Natal | South Africa | Environmental Science | Remote Sensing | Best Researcher Award | |
| Dr | Peter | Twesigye | University of Cape Town, Graduate School of Business | South Africa | Energy | Electricity Regulation & Utility Performance | Excellence in Research | |
| Dr | Musawenkhosi | Mkhatshwa | University of South Africa | South Africa | Mathematics | Numerical Analysis, mathematical modelling, and Theoretical fluid mechanics | Best Researcher Award | |
| Mr | Siphesihle | Khumalo | Durban University of Technology | South Africa | Chemical Engineering | Wastewater Treatment and Environmental Remediation | Best Researcher Award | |
| Mr | Lehlogonolo | Tabana | University of Pretoria | South Africa | Chemical Engineering | Water Remediation | Young Scientist Award | |
| Mr | Randall | Smith | University of Cape Town | South Africa | Chemistry | Nanotechnology | Best Researcher Award | |
| Assoc Prof Dr | Camille | Meyer | University of Cape Town | South Africa | Business, Management and Accounting | Innovation and entrepreneurship | Best Researcher Award | |
| Dr | Sekelwa | Cosa | University of Pretoria | South Africa | Immunology and Microbiology | Microbiology | Best Researcher Award | |