Being elected President of the South African Chemical Institute (SACI) is both an honour and a responsibility for Nikoletta Bathori, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, who says her recent election “represents the trust of my peers and the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of chemistry in South Africa and beyond”.

SACI, formally established in 1912, is the professional body that represents all chemists across South Africa, with a history of over a century of promoting chemistry education, research, and public understanding. The president serves a two-year term and is responsible for providing strategic direction, strengthening partnerships, and supporting the professional growth of members.

The dependable academic, who values integrity and lifelong learning, intends to advance SACI’s ongoing evolution in response to the opportunities and challenges of the digital era. “Our focus will be on renewal, sustainability, recognition, representation, and international collaboration, ensuring that SACI continues to serve as a strong and relevant voice for the chemistry community.”

Bathori, who likes to take initiative, stay organised, and follow through on commitments, notes that the institute has already embarked on a comprehensive rebranding initiative aimed at modernising the Institute’s image and strengthening its connection with members and the public. “A key priority of my term will be ensuring the long-term sustainability of the South African Journal of Chemistry, which has proudly served our scientific community since 1918. We are committed to maintaining our accessibility to members while enhancing our international competitiveness. Preserving this important journal is not only about tradition but about safeguarding a cornerstone of South African scientific excellence.”

The institute will introduce two new SACI awards to celebrate excellence within its community and to recognise the outstanding contributions of its members. She says they will continue to strengthen SACI’s international footprint across the African continent by extending memoranda of understanding with other chemical societies and fostering deeper partnerships that promote collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the advancement of chemistry in Africa.

“Through these initiatives, my goal is to ensure that SACI remains a vibrant, forward-looking organisation — one that honours its legacy while embracing innovation, partnership, and inclusivity in the service of chemistry and society.”

The Hungarian-born scholar, who moved to South Africa for a postdoctoral fellowship about 20 years ago, has advanced through various leadership positions within SACI, gaining a broad understanding of its structure and culture. “This role is a wonderful opportunity to practice and refine my leadership skills while applying my knowledge of business management in a scientific context. I see this as a rare gift — a chance to give back to a community that has given me so much and to help guide its future direction.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Department of Chemistry lecturer, Prof Vernon Somerset’s contribution to his field has been recognised with a nomination for the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South32 South32) Awards. 

Somerset has been nominated in the TW Kambule-NSTF: Researcher Award category which seeks to acknowledge the contribution made by an individual researcher over six to 15 years, for research conducted in South Africa.

 “It also asks that your research is taken from publications to another level where it is seen to benefit the public domain,” Somerset said.

His research activities focus on the determination of inorganic and organic pollutants in the aquatic ecosystem, air, and wet deposition samples.  “High levels of some of these pollutants will harm human health,” Somerset states.

This determines the levels of certain pollutants and linking it to the aquatic ecosystem and human health so that the risk to human health is established and highlighted. 

He adds: “If scientists can find a way to showcase to policymakers some of the science needed to improve policy decisions, you create a value chain of the research that you are involved in”.

“Being nominated means that my peers have recognised the work I have been doing in my research area for the last 19 years. It means that my focus area is assisting others in this field of research.”

His interest also falls on one particular pollutant called mercury, which he says is also a global pollutant. Somerset’s research in this area has seen him contributing to the wider international mercury research community, assisting in establishing a baseline for South Africa and assisting the Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries with the ratification of the International Minamata Convention on Mercury.

“This is a good example of where research and science informed policymakers towards a convention that will be implemented globally. It is an ongoing work [and] a good model for future endeavours.”

The lecturer who dedicates his free time to his family, together enjoying good food and conversation, adds that his nomination is rewarding and an indication that his hard work has been an investment in him, his collaborators, and the students involved in the research activities and training.

“For CPUT, it should be an indication that excellence is possible, but it requires support, effective systems, investment, and the attraction of key industrial partners. My achievements are catalysed through a team of dedicated people that I can always count on, sometimes in difficult circumstances. My appreciation, therefore, goes to my family, my fellow researchers, students, and collaborators.”

Somerset’s research experience in this field has seen him being part of the technical advisory committee to review documents and research data in assistance to the government and the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury at the international level.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Freely available indigenous fruits are a good resource for boosting your daily antioxidant intake.

This is according to researchers Daniela Kucich and Merrill Wicht, who recently conducted a study to determine if local indigenous fruits could provide an alternative source of antioxidants.

In the paper “South African indigenous fruits – Underutilized resource for boosting daily antioxidant intake among local indigent populations?” the researchers, who are based in the Department of Chemistry,  argue that a large portion of the population live below the poverty line and are unable to consume the required amount of seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day. 

“Advice on the importance of consuming a healthy, and at the same time affordable diet needs to be provided by suggesting alternatives among indigenous plants that are nutritionally superior to ‘exotic’ fruits,” states the researchers.

As part of their study Kucich and Wicht focused on ten indigenous South African fruits, which included the wild plum, wild olive, colpoon, christmas berry, crossberry, waterberry, tortoise berry, bietou, num-num and the sour fig.  The study saw them evaluate the antioxidant activity of the indigenous fruits and compare it with the popular Northern hemisphere blueberry and cranberry controls.

The study found that by introducing servings of as little as 25 g of wild plum, waterberry, num num or sour fig into the diet, the daily antioxidant intake can be boosted to within an acceptable range to support health.  With wild plum giving the highest Antioxidant Potency Composite index, blueberry and cranberry ranked 4^th and 8^th, respectively.

The study found that all the indigenous fruits are being used by communities for various purposes, such as treatment of ailments or for the production of beverages. Others,  such as the sour fig which ranked 12^th in the study, is sold in open markets as dried figs or used for the production of jam.

“As the results show, freely available indigenous fruits that have been traditionally used by rural peoples in South Africa have relatively high levels of antioxidant capacity and, therefore, constitute an untapped resource that deserves to be promoted more extensively in the community by health educators,” says Kucich and Wicht.

“As affordable, yet nutritionally superior alternatives to the relatively expensive 'exotic' fruits, these could help in diversifying monotonous diets.”

Written by Candes Keating
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

Talented chemistry students Kudzanai Nyamayaro and Kelly Shunje are flying the CPUT flag high.

The duo who are based in the Department of Chemistry have been awarded the Innovation and Priority Research Areas Masters Scholarship, an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology that is facilitated through the National Research Foundation (NRF).The scholarship aims to increase South Africa’s cohort of masters and doctoral graduates.

Applicants face a competitive selection process, but Nyamayaro and Shunje’s excellent academic record helped them clinch the prestigious scholarship. Of the 821 awardees for 2017 nationwide, only 7 CPUT students made it to the list.

Both are currently working towards their MTech qualifications under the guidance of Dr Nikoletta Báthori. Their work is based on crystallography (determining the arrangement of molecules /ions in crystalline solids), with a focus on the improvement of the properties of pharmaceutical drugs.

Shunje is exploring anti-malaria and anti-tuberculosis drugs focusing on improving their physiochemical properties through formation of multicomponent crystals.

With her sights set on graduation in September, Shunje says she enjoys research and is looking forward to applying her skills in the pharmaceutical industry.

“I ventured into this specific area because I have a strong desire to discover solutions towards the alleviation of suffering and peril in the world. I would never be able to be a doctor and work directly with patients, but by working on pharmaceutical drugs I can still help people.”

Nyamayaro, who has already co-published three papers, is focusing his efforts on aspirin and how to increase its lifespan after it is exposed to water or air.

Also set to graduate this Spring, Nyamayaro, who has won several prizes for his outstanding academic records, says he is grateful for the scholarship and the funding it makes available to facilitate his academic and research activities.

Nyamayaro, who has his sights set on completing a doctorate, is one of the top performing students in the Faculty of Applied Science. He was recently awarded the James Moir Medal by the South African Chemical Institute, which recognizes the top chemistry students at each university and university of technology.

However, Nyamayaro says while a love of science prompted him to follow a career in chemistry, hard work has played a huge role in his success.

“I work and study really hard. I think this is a good combination for success. If you put effort into something it will eventually work out,” he says.

Written by Candes Keating
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

The Department of Chemistry has acquired and installed a new Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer after receiving a grant from the National Research Foundation (NRF) last year.

Prof Ahmed Mohammed says the department applied through the National Equipment Programme to the NRF in 2018 and obtained a grant of R 6.8 million to purchase the new equipment. “The important point is that CPUT has been missing this important facility for more than 20 years, and it was requiring strong application with strong motivation from the university,” Mohamed reveals.

The main use of the NMR is to study the chemical structure of organic compounds, especially natural compounds obtained from natural resources such as plants, microbes and or marine organisms.

“All researchers working in related activities from the university and industrial sector are very welcome to come and use the facility. The department, especially postgraduate students working in the organic chemistry field, [have already] started to use the equipment.”

The equipment covers very important and essential types of analysis required by all researchers in Applied Sciences, and “The NMR facility fills a strong gap to run advanced research with excellent quality, meaning there is no research in organic chemistry that can be completed without the NMR facility”.

All postgraduates, researchers from different faculties, including Applied Sciences and Engineering, and industrial sectors can use the equipment for different purposes including pharmaceutical industries, polymer, food technology, agriculture, environment and many more.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.