In the Category A: Individual over a lifetime 

• Mr Graeme Addison, Freelance writer and journalist, Vaal Cybercentre, Parys (also B, C, G, & K)
• Dr Marco A G Andreoli, Hon. Professor: School of Geological Sciences, Wits
• Dr Marthinus S Basson, Executive Director BKS (Pty) Ltd, Pretoria (Finalist)
• Prof Doug Butterworth, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, UCT (Finalist)
• Prof Donald A Cowan, Prof of Microbiology, UWC (also B)
• Prof David Glasser, Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engg, Wits (Finalist)
• Prof Fritz J W Hahne, Director of Africa Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Cape Town (also K)
• Prof Johann R E Lutjeharms,   Prof of Oceanography and Ocean Climatology, UCT (Finalist)
• Prof Banwari Lal Meel, Associate Prof. Head Dept of Forensic Medicine, Univ of Transkei (also B, C, H & K)
• Prof Pragasen Pillay, Department of Electrical Engineering, UCT (also G and H)
• Dr Wim Richter, Principal Researcher Material Science and Manufacturing, CSIR, Pretoria (also B)

In the Category B:  Individual through research and its outputs (over the last five years or less)

• Mr Graeme Addison, Freelance writer and journalist, Vaal Cybercentre, Parys (also A, C, G, & K)
• Ass Prof Debbie Bradshaw, Director: Burden of Disease Research Unit MRC, Cape Town
• Mitchell Brom, M. Sc student in Electrical Engineering, UJ, Johannesburg (also C)
• Prof Donald A Cowan, Prof of Microbiology, UWC (also A) (Finalist)
• Prof M Timm Hoffman, Director: Leslie Hill Inst for Plant Conservation, UCT (Finalist)
• Prof Rachel Jewkes, Director: Gender and Health Research Unit, MRC, Pretoria (Finalist)
• Prof J G (Kobus) Maree, Department of Education, UP
• Dr J P Maree, Prin. Researcher & Div. Fellow: Natural Resources & the Environment Operating Unit, CSIR, Pta (Finalist)
• Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, Prof of Systems and Control Engg, School Elec and Info. Engg, Wits (also G) (Finalist)
• Prof Banwari Lal Meel, Associate Prof. Head Dept of Forensic Medicine, Univ of Transkei (also A, C, H & K)
• Dr Wim Richter, Principal Researcher Material Science and Manufacturing, CSIR, Pretoria (also A) (Finalist)
• Dr Christopher J Seebregts, Div Manager Biomedical Informatics Research, MRC, Parow
• Prof Dan J Stein, Head Dept of Psychiatry, UCT; Director: MRC Unit Anxiety & Stress Disorders (Finalist)
• Dr Hulda Swai, Senior Research Scientist , Material Science and Mftrg, CSIR, Pretoria (also H)

In the Category C: Individual through activities other than research and its outputs (over the last 5 years or less)

• Mr Graeme Addison, Freelance writer and journalist, Vaal Cybercentre, Parys (also A, B, G, & K)
• Dr Paul Bartels, Head, Wildlife Biological Resource Centre/Biobank SA, NRF (Finalist)
• Mitchell Brom, M. Sc student in Electrical Engineering, UJ, Johannesburg (also B)
• Prof Banwari Lal Meel, Associate Prof. Head Dept of Forensic Medicine, Univ of Transkei (also A, B, H & K)
• Dr Sibusiso Sibisi, President and CEO, CSIR, Pretoria (Finalist)

In the Category D – Corporate organization or institution (over the last 10 years)

• Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), UP (Prof M Wingfield) (Finalist)
• Winetech, Stellenbosch. (Finalist)

In the Category E : Small, Medium or Micro enterprise -- SMME (over the last 3 years)

• eManti Management (Pty) Ltd, Stellenbosch (Mr Mziwabantu Ramba and Mr Grant Mackintosh) (Finalist)
• Hazleton Pumps (Pty) Ltd, Centurion (M Wehmeyer) (Finalist)
• iSlices Innovations (Pty) Ltd, Midrand, Jhb (Kerryne Krause-Neufeldt) (Finalist)
• MTE Studios, Cape Town (Ludo Verheyen)
• TBM Communications (Pty) Ltd, Jhb (Pierre van der Hoven) (Finalist)
• The Water Angel (Pty) Ltd, Krugersdorp (Hennie Stander)

In the Category F: Not-for-Profit organization (over the last 3 years)

• Mental Health Information Centre, Stellenbosch (also K)
• Paraffin Safety Association of SA, Cape Town, (Patrick Kulati) (Finalist)
• SALAMAX 320 (Science Unlimited), Pretoria (Richard Chernis) (Finalist)
• SmartXchange, Durban (Robynne Erwin) (Finalist)
• SOUL City (Inst for Health and Development Communication), Johannesburg

In the Category G: Researcher, for Research Capacity Development (over the last 5-10 years)

• Mr Graeme Addison, Freelance writer and journalist, Vaal Cybercentre, Parys (also A, B, C & K)
• Prof R Bharuthram, Dean: Faculty of Science, Wits (formerly Dir Research UKZN) (Finalist)
• Prof Annemarie Hattingh, Associate Professor, Director of the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, UP (Finalist)
• Prof Sunil Dutt Maharaj, School of Mathematical Sciences, UKZN, Durban (also H) (Finalist)
• Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, Prof of Systems and Control Engg, School Elec. and Infn Engg, Wits (also G)
• Prof Pragasen Pillay, Prof of Electrical Engineering, UCT (also A and H) (Finalist)
• Dr Marianne Vanderschuren, Sr Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, UCT

In the Category H:-Senior Black Researcher (over the last 5 to 10 years)

• Prof Sunil Dutt Maharaj, Director: Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit, UKZN, Durban (also G) (Finalist)
• Prof Thokozani Majozi, Associate Prof Chemical Eng, UP
• Dr Angela Mathee, Dir Health and Development Research Group, MRC, Parktown, Jhb (Finalist)
• Prof Banwari Lal Meel, Associate Prof, Head Dept of Forensic Medicine, Univ of Transkei (also A, B, C & K)
• Prof Pragasen Pillay, Prof of Electrical Engineering, UCT (also A & G) (Finalist)
• Prof Soraya Seedat, Co-Director MRC Unit on Anxiety and Stress Disorders, US. (Finalist)
• Dr Hulda Swai, Senior Research Scientist, Material Science & Manufacturing, CSIR, Pretoria (also B)
• Dr Saloshna Vandeyar, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education, UP (also J) (Finalist)

In the Category J: Distinguished Young Black Researcher (over the last 2 to 5 years)

• Dr Virna D Leaner, Senior Lecturer, Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT (Finalist)
• Prof Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya, Research Director, Research Programme for Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, HSRC, Port Elizabeth (Finalist)
• Prof Thokozani Majozi, Associate Professor Chemical Engineering, UP (also H) (Finalist)
• Dr Bhekie Mamba, Senior Lecturer, Dept of Chemical Technology, UJ (Finalist)
• Dr Kamal Parker, Ass. Professor, CPUT and Aerospace Network Mgr DST (also K) (Finalist)
• Dr Heidi Segal, Lecturer and Senior Medical Scientist, Div of Medical Microbiology, UCT (Finalist)
• Dr Saloshna Vandeyar, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education, UP (also H)

In the Category K: Science Communicator over the last 5 years

• Mr Graeme Addison, Freelance writer and journalist, Vaal Cybercentre, Parys (also A, B, C & G)
• Dr George Claassen, Senior Deputy Editor, Die Burger, Cape Town (Finalist)
• Prof Fritz J W Hahne, Director of Africa Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Cape Town (also A)
• Ms Carol F Knoll, Editor, Environmental Management and other periodicals. (Finalist)
• Karooveld Book Team, Prof Karen Esler, Dept Conservation Ecology and Entomology, US, and Dr Suzanne J Milton, ecologist and Dr W Richard J Dean, ornithologist (Finalist)
• Prof Banwari Lal Meel, Associate Prof. Head Dept of Forensic Medicine, Univ of Transkei (also A, B, C & H)
• Mental Health Information Centre, Stellenbosch (also F)
• Dr Kamal Parker, Associate Prof at CPUT and Aerospace Network Mgr DST (also J)
• Mr David Pepler, Senior Lecturer Dept of Conservation Ecology, US (Finalist)
• Thought Films SA cc, Robert Newell and Keith Stevenson, TV producers, Johannesburg. (Finalist)