We present a bibliometric analysis of the South African Journal of Science (SAJS) from its inception in 1903 to 2024. Using data from the Web of Science, the South African Knowledgebase and a custom SAJS archive, we examined publication output, authorship and collaboration trends, citation impact, thematic changes, and demographic representation. Journal metrics from the Journal Citation Reports were also evaluated. The results show a gradual increase in research outputs published in SAJS, with a stabilisation in later years. A marked increase in the proportion of multi-authored papers is observed from the late 1960s, reflecting the growing collaboration and institutionalisation of South African science. Thematic analysis using the Web of Science citation topics shows the truly multidisciplinary nature of SAJS. Articles have been published across all the macro scientific fields, with the major contributions coming from agriculture, environmental science, earth sciences, clinical and life sciences, and the social sciences. Demographic analysis shows that while female authorships in SAJS remain below national targets, the proportion has steadily increased in line with broader transformation in the higher education sector. Overall, both the Journal Impact Factor and field-normalised Journal Citation Index have shown consistent and significant improvement since 2017. Despite these metrics appearing modest relative to leading global publications, they demonstrate the growing impact and reach of SAJS. Significance: The South African Journal of Science (SAJS) provides a valuable longitudinal history of the development of research in South Africa, reflecting both the change and continuity of the country’s scientific enterprise. By tracing publication trends, authorship patterns and citation topics, this study provides insight into the development of one of South Africa’s oldest journals. The analysis of SAJS represents a ‘proxy’ of the growing inclusivity and internationalisation of South African science.
Biological contamination of high-voltage insulators by fungi and algae threatens power system reliability, especially in humid tropical and subtropical environments. Field and laboratory data show that algal and fungal biofilms persistently reduce hydrophobicity and flashover strength under wet conditions. Dielectric analyses reveal that hydrated biofilms behave as lossy dielectrics with elevated permittivity and loss tangents, distorting local electric fields and accelerating surface degradation. The synergistic coexistence of algae and fungi intensifies the chemical, mechanical and dielectric deterioration of insulation materials. Microbial growth and persistence are strongly regulated by environmental factors such as humidity, rainfall, surface roughness and shading. By integrating microbiological behaviour with insulation engineering, this study establishes a unified framework for understanding biologically driven insulation degradation and informs predictive maintenance, material selection and mitigation strategies for high-voltage infrastructure operating in biologically aggressive environments. Significance: Biological contamination of high-voltage insulators poses an under-recognised reliability risk in climates characterised by high humidity and rainfall, such as those found across much of South Africa. This study demonstrates how algal and fungal growth alter surface dielectric behaviour, accelerate electrical ageing, and increase maintenance demand. By clarifying the environmental–biological–electrical coupling underlying these effects, the findings support more informed inspection, material selection and mitigation strategies for resilient power transmission infrastructure.
Evidence on fine-wine investment remains dominated by established European regions, leaving limited peer-reviewed evidence on whether an emerging wine region such as South Africa can be analysed credibly as an investable alternative asset. In this study, we examined whether South African fine wine can function as a portfolio diversifier, using data from 29 March 2019 to 31 March 2023. Using secondary-market transaction data from Wine Cellar brokerage trades and Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auctions, we compiled 2756 mixed lots, identified 523 unique producer–vintage–varietal combinations, and constructed a Top-10 South African Fine Wine Index (SAFW10) using repeat-sales regression. The sample is dominated by red wines (approximately 67% of transactions), with white and fortified wines accounting for about 29% and 4%, respectively. We then compared SAFW10 with Liv-ex benchmarks and selected conventional assets in a monthly rebalanced portfolio backtest. SAFW10 displays low contemporaneous correlation with the selected traditional assets in our sample and improves selected risk-adjusted portfolio metrics. Because the sample is short and the market is thinly traded, the findings are interpreted as descriptive evidence rather than definitive proof of persistent outperformance. The results nonetheless support the case for broader data collection, greater market transparency and further microstructure-aware research on South African fine wine as an emerging alternative asset. Significance: This study extends a literature largely centred on Bordeaux, Burgundy and global Liv-ex benchmarks by providing the first South African fine-wine investment index built from observed secondary-market prices. The results show that South African fine wine may improve diversification relative to selected traditional assets and global wine benchmarks, although these benefits should be interpreted cautiously in a thin market. The findings highlight how data coverage, lot sizes, sales channels, sparse trading and index-construction choices shape inference in an emerging wine market.
This paper offers a first-person reflective account of one mentorship relationship, between an emerging health sciences scholar and a senior biostatistician, facilitated by South Africa’s Future Professors Programme. Drawing on five lessons from the mentorship – goal-setting, publication planning, the meaning of excellence, research integrity and the ethic of care – we examine how emerging scholars are socialised into the norms of a metric-driven academy, and how a care-oriented, ubuntu-inspired mentor can open space for a more substantive understanding of scholarly work. The account is situated within debates on neoliberal and neocolonial academic culture and on mentorship in South Africa and the Global South. We do not evaluate the Future Professors Programme as a whole, but reflect on a single case within one phase of the programme. We argue that the tensions described are features of the contemporary academy more broadly, and ask what it means to become a good scholar, not merely a productive one. Significance: Transformation of the South African professoriate is being pursued through the same metrics that historically excluded the scholars it now seeks to develop. Drawing on one mentorship within the Future Professors Programme, this paper shows how this contradiction is transmitted in practice through goal-setting tools, publication plans and promotion criteria absorbed without being chosen. It argues that genuine transformation requires more than demographic change in the professoriate: it requires changing what scholarship is taken to be for. The paper offers implications for mentors, programme designers and the metrics used to assess transformation.
The evaluation of research impact in higher education has long been dominated by citation-based metrics and their derivatives, such as impact factors and h-indices. While these measures offer the appeal of standardisation and comparability, they capture only a narrow dimension of scholarly influence and often reinforce global, disciplinary and linguistic inequities. The rise of altmetrics has promised a broader, more immediate view of research engagement, yet these too remain vulnerable to bias, manipulation and structural asymmetries that privilege well-resourced institutions and English-language scholarship. We argue that the problem lies not only in the tools of measurement but in the broader metrification of higher education itself, where numerical indicators have supplanted expert judgement and contextual understanding. Drawing on the South African context, we argue for a recalibrated approach to research impact assessment. We outline the principles that should inform the development of a flexible, context-sensitive framework that integrates quantitative and qualitative evidence. Such an approach aligns with global movements for responsible research assessment, including the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and the Leiden Manifesto, while foregrounding local priorities such as transformation, equity and societal relevance. Ultimately, we call for a shift from counting outputs to interpreting contributions, towards an evaluative culture grounded in judgement, context and inclusion. Significance: This paper advances the international movement for responsible research assessment by arguing for a context-sensitive framework that integrates quantitative and qualitative evidence. It situates global critiques of metrification within the South African higher education context, where transformation, equity and societal relevance are central concerns. By revealing how citation and altmetric indicators perpetuate structural inequities and distort academic priorities, the paper lays the groundwork for a holistic, inclusive, contextually grounded framework for evaluating research impact aligned with South Africa’s developmental and social justice imperatives.
The Recall, Caution, Acting out, Excessive, Difficulty, Anxiety, Stress (RCAEDAS) screening tool was developed and validated to address limitations of existing alcohol use disorder screening instruments, particularly for diverse populations such as those in South Africa. We assessed the validity and reliability of the RCAEDAS using a cross-sectional design with 900 adult alcohol consumers across South Africa. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a unidimensional structure with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.83). The tool demonstrated excellent model fit (Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 1.00, Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI) = 1.00, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.00, Standardised Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) = 0.00) and strong factor loadings, indicating good construct validity. Structural equation modelling revealed complex relationships between symptoms, with difficulty in daily functioning emerging as the strongest indicator of possible alcohol use disorder, followed equally by excessive drinking, anxiety and stress. The RCAEDAS showed high specificity (100%) and moderate sensitivity (45.7%) in identifying potential alcohol problems. Its focus on psychological impacts, behavioural changes and memory issues provides a more comprehensive assessment than existing tools that primarily emphasise consumption patterns. The strong psychometric properties and culturally sensitive approach of RCAEDAS suggest it may be a valuable addition to alcohol screening practices in South Africa and potentially other diverse populations, enabling earlier detection and intervention for alcohol use disorders. Significance: This study significantly contributes to addressing alcohol use disorders in South Africa. The RCAEDAS screening tool, developed and validated, offers a culturally sensitive and efficient method for identifying individuals at risk. Its strong psychometric properties and comprehensive symptom coverage make it valuable in clinical and research settings. The tool’s brevity addresses the need for time-efficient screening in diverse populations. Insights from structural equation modelling deepen our understanding of the complex interrelationships between alcohol use disorder symptoms. This research provides a foundation for more targeted intervention strategies, potentially enhancing the management of alcohol-related health issues in South Africa and similar contexts.
The global challenge of inadequate access to clean and safe drinking water affects over a billion individuals, of whom more than 800 million are in sub-Saharan Africa. Evaluation of water quality is an integral part of effective and sustainable management of water sources that ensures its suitability for human consumption and environmental stability. Agrochemicals are a major source of surface water contamination. Long-term water quality monitoring is essential to track changes in water quality across time and space to make informed decisions regarding water management practices that protect the water sources in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we demonstrate the alarming fragmented nature and lack of long-term water quality monitoring data for sub-Saharan Africa by reviewing the level of contamination of water sources with pesticides that are widely used in the cultivation of the staple crop maize, specifically, atrazine, glyphosate, imidacloprid and metolachlor. Honey bees and beehive products are excellent indicators of environmental contamination and provide both qualitative and quantitative data. Long-term environmental monitoring programmes using managed honey bees as biomonitors have proven to be highly successful. We discuss the toxicity of atrazine, glyphosate, imidacloprid and metolachlor to honey bees and the feasibility of using honey bees as a bioindicator species for early detection of pesticide contamination of water sources in remote and rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Significance: Water is essential for life, yet millions of people across sub-Saharan Africa lack access to safe water. Long-term water quality monitoring is an essential part of water management practices that protect water sources and prevents deterioration of water quality. This review illustrates a lack of standardised and long-term water quality monitoring data in sub-Saharan Africa. Existing data provide a limited view of water quality in this region, potentially leading to an inaccurate perception of the true level of contamination. We suggest a low-cost, sustainable sampling model for remote, rural areas as part of developing an efficient, long-term water quality monitoring programme.
South Africa’s aquaculture sector has shown remarkable resilience to ecological, social and policy changes over its existence. This review traces the origin of freshwater and marine aquaculture in the Western Cape Province – one of the country’s four coastal provinces. Starting with oyster farming attempts as early as the 17th century, farming operations have since evolved into a multimillion-rand sector with a wide range of stakeholders as well as lucrative overseas and local markets. Commercial oyster cultivation was first established in the late 1940s, with mussel farming following 30 years later. Abalone farming was pioneered in the late 1980s, emerging against a backdrop of severe overfishing and growing exponentially since. Concurrently, freshwater aquaculture found its origins in colonial-era sport fishing, with trout farming originating in the late 19th century and the Jonkershoek hatchery (founded 1893) underpinning its development. While tilapia culture, introduced in the 1930s, and the ornamental fish sector exist, they remain limited in the Western Cape because of climatic and economic factors. Currently defined by dominant marine production and niche freshwater operations, the sector, despite enduring challenges ranging from climate constraints, illegal harvesting and local market resistance to freshwater-farmed fish, has evolved into a domestically significant sector with established international markets, demonstrating remarkable resilience while retaining substantial potential for sustainable expansion. Significance: This review provides a deeper understanding of the Western Cape’s aquaculture sector, its historical development and the complex forces that continue to shape its trajectory against the backdrop of unprecedented climate change.
Based on the decadal rainfall events (April 2015 to April 2025), the ordinary least squares regression for the Johannesburg Local Meteoric Line is represented by 52H = 6.95 518O + 11.6%o. To determine the effect of rainfall amount (defined as amount effect) on the 52H and 518O content of rainwater, the rainfall-weighted least squares regression equation of 52H = 6.61 518O + 12.0%o was generated. Comparison of the two regression equations did not reveal significant variation, which is supported by the poor correlation between the rainfall amount and stable isotope content in the rainwater. This finding implies a limited role of rainfall amount in the 518O and 52H contents in the semi-arid Johannesburg region. This could be due to predominantly frontal and cyclonic rainfall, which occurs at high intensity, often with mixed moisture from different sources. Strong variability in deuterium excess and 518O values (poor correlation with R2 of 0.0139) could suggest moisture recycling and mixing with a localised evaporation effect during rainfall and moisture circulation. Significance: The close similarity between the estimated regression equations (OLSR and RWLSR) revealed that the amount of rainfall does not have a strong influence on the 518O and 52H content of rainfall in the Johannesburg region. The success of a decade-long stable isotope and rainfall amount record with the resulting Johannesburg Local Meteoric Water Line will be helpful for the interpretation of 518O and 52H values to identify the origin, mixing and circulation of water in the Johannesburg region without extrapolating equations from other areas. It facilitates sustainable management of water resources in the region.
The Maloti-Drakensberg is an important region of plant biodiversity and endemism, and a strategic regional water source. In mountains, climate, geography and geology promote environmental heterogeneity, with numerous microhabitats supporting high species diversity. The ‘Mountain Kingdom’ of Lesotho is largely reliant on subsistence agriculture. For a decade, shrubs have been cleared from these alpine grasslands to increase herbaceous grazing capacity for livestock. A published three-year study evaluated the impact of mechanical shrub removal on plant diversity and composition in upper-montane and alpine grassland catchments. Although enhancement of herbaceous species diversity and biomass was found, it was a short-term result. The authors recommended that shrub removal be repeated biennially. We applaud this investigation, but, given the importance of the conclusions drawn based on this published study and the broader implications concerning rangeland governance, the outcomes and recommendations need critical interrogation. Our concerns include that many of the shrub species removed are endemic, near-endemic and threatened species important for restricted insect pollinators. These species are also used within the subsistence economy for fuelwood and medicinal purposes at sustainable levels of disturbance. Ecologically, removal of shrubs reduces root networks that help bind the soil, leading to greater leaching of soil nutrients and soil erosion – already observable in the area – and negatively impacts water quality and other ecosystem services. Significance: • Mountain shrublands have an important ecological function, yet are slow growing and sensitive to climatic and other environmental stressors. • It was recently recommended that the uprooting of shrubs in the Drakensberg Mountain Centre to improve grazing in rangelands be repeated biennially. • We demonstrate that the wholesale removal of mountain shrubs has several serious consequences and should therefore not be an encouraged management practice.
Historically disadvantaged institutions (HDIs) in South Africa play a vital role in broadening access to higher education and promoting inclusive national development. While progress has been made, many of these institutions continue to face barriers to research performance, often due to disparities in funding, research capacity and infrastructure. We examined the research productivity trajectories of three HDIs (the University of the Western Cape, University of Venda and University of Zululand) over a five-year period from 2018 to 2022, focusing on participation in National Research Foundation grants, research capacity and scholarly output. We aimed to identify patterns, strengths and persistent challenges related to research funding, productivity and human capital development. Data were drawn from the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS) database to analyse National Research Foundation grant allocations, the number of academic staff and student enrolments. Scholarly outputs were sourced from SciVal, linked to the Scopus database, to assess institutional research performance. The University of the Western Cape received more National Research Foundation research funding than the University of Venda and University of Zululand. The University of the Western Cape also had the highest percentage of PhD-qualified staff and correspondingly produced more scholarly publications. Encouragingly, the other institutions showed upward trends in either funding, research outputs or staffing qualifications, reflecting growing research engagement and capacity development. The presence of PhD-qualified staff strongly correlates with higher research output. Strengthening academic qualifications and attracting postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers may enhance both grant success and institutional research performance. Significance: This study shows how grant funding and research capacity are associated with institutional transformation and offers important insights into the productivity and research performance of South Africa’s HDIs. The study integrates bibliometric data with staffing and funding trends to reveal systemic bottlenecks and pinpoint areas for strategic investment that can enhance research outputs. The results are significant for policymakers, financiers and university administrators aiming to mitigate disparities, foster institutional development and formulate targeted strategies that enhance the contributions of HDIs towards South Africa’s national research and innovation framework.
Rain-induced landslides pose a growing threat to communities in South Africa's high-rainfall regions, particularly in steep, densely settled and hydrologically complex catchments. The aim of this study was to assess the spatio-temporal response of slope stability to rainfall events using a coupled hydrological-slope stability model. The April 2022 floods in the Durban/Pinetown area (catchment U60F) served as a case study for evaluating the predictive capability of the factor of safety (F-s) under different thresholds. The calculated F-s values reflected the impact of rising soil moisture on slope instability, with model outputs highlighting increasing landslide susceptibility in response to cumulative rainfall. The model's performance was assessed using confusion matrices, receiver operator characteristic curves and area under the curve values. While the traditional F-s < 1 threshold yielded a moderate specificity (0.67) but low sensitivity (0.38), an optimised threshold of F-s = 1.43 improved sensitivity to 0.78, although with a trade-off in precision and specificity. The F-s-based model captures broad spatial patterns of landslide susceptibility, but its predictive power remains moderate (area under the curve = 0.63) and is limited by the absence of infrastructural and anthropogenic triggers, such as road culverts, terracing and retaining walls, in the modelling framework. Nonetheless, when calibrated appropriately and integrated into early warning systems, F-s mapping provides valuable insights into landslide risk during extreme rainfall events.
South Africa's post-apartheid transformation of its science and innovation system represents one of the most ambitious undertakings in the Global South. Over the past three decades, the country has developed a National System of Innovation (NSI) aimed at promoting excellence, equity and developmental relevance. This article presents a comprehensive retrospective of the NSI's evolution, grounded in National Innovation Systems theory, and identifies the period between 2005 and 2015 as a 'golden age' for research and development (R&D). It examines the influence of strategic incentives, institutional reforms and funding trajectories, while also analysing the consequences of recent fiscal retrenchment and political ambivalence. A central critique is the persistent failure to establish an independent Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Observatory-an omission that has constrained the NSI's capacity to inform political decision-making and secure sustained investment. The article concludes with an assessment of recent policy responses in 2025 and offers strategic recommendations for revitalising South Africa's science and innovation landscape.
South Africa is marketed internationally for its sunny skies, outdoor attractions and wide range of ecoclimatic regions. Consistent with these attributes, Tourism Climate Index (TCI) scores have classified the region as climatically “ideal” for tourism. The more recently developed Holiday Climate Indices for Beach and Urban settings draw on a wealth of questionnaires capturing tourist experiences, and provide more tailored weightings for these two forms of tourism. In southern Africa, a key challenge in applying this index is the paucity of air-conditioning, and very warm nighttime temperatures, which are not accounted for in this index and thus artificially increase output scores and classification. In this study, we found that air-conditioning coverage ranges from 12% to 93%, depending on the town in question; the results therefore apply only to those accommodation establishments for which there is air-conditioning. With this assumption in mind, the outputs indicate mean annual scores classified as “very good” climatic conditions for both urban and beach tourism across South Africa. Greater variability is evident at a monthly scale, with distinct seasonal distributions including a winter peak, and bimodal peak conditions which align temporally with the summer holidays in much of the Global North and winter school holidays locally.
