Establishment of the DNA: The Inaugural Awards Evening

In January 2017 the ACCESS Habitable Planet Programme formally launched the Dumisani Ndaba Award (DNA) for excellence in the programme. The award is named after Planeteer Dumisani Nqobile Ndaba, who sadly passed away in late 2016. You can find out more about Dumisani's exceptional contributions to the programme by clicking the link on his name above.  The DNA was intended to recognise Planeteers who, like Dumisani himself, have made an exceptional contribution to the Habitable Planet Programme over a prolonged period of time.

The Habitable Planet Planeteers were very lucky to be joined at the CSIR Cape Town Campus for the first DNA ceremony, by two members of Dumisani's family: Richard Ndaba (his father, pictured far right) and Njabulo Ndaba (his sister, pictured with DC on the left). After hearing many touching tributes to Dumisani from Planeteers who knew him well, the winner of the first award was annouced. The first ever DNA winner was Dr Claude Moshobane, from Limpopo (pictured with Mr Ndaba, above right). This was fitting as Claude was also a personal friend of Dumisani's.  You can watch the whole of the awards evening at the video below.

The Habitable Planet programme are very proud to honour Dumisani's legacy with this annual award that is highly converted by the Planeteers. Find out who else won the award here.