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Vision and Mission
Vision
The HSRC intends to serves as a knowledge hub for research-based
solutions to inform human and social development in South Africa, the
Africa continent and the rest of the world.
Mission
The mission of the HSRC is to be a research organisation that advances
social sciences and humanities for public use.
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Objectives of the HSRC
(Section 3, Act 17 of 2008)

Address developmental challenges,
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Inform effective formulation, monitoring and evaluation,
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Stimulate public debate,
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Help build research capacity and infrastructure,
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Foster research collaboration, networks and institutional linkages,
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Respond to the needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups, and
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Develop and make available data sets.
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Some Specific Policy Mandates
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Outcome 1
Improved quality of basic education
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Outcome 2
A long and healthy life for all South Africans
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Outcome 5
A skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive
growth path

Outcome 14 A diverse, social cohesive society with a common national
identity
Strategic Intent: To have addressed key priorities facing South Africa through its
research. To have generated new knowledge that helps us understand the
changing human and social environment in which we live.
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Strategic outcome oriented goals
A – “Knowledge Advancement”: Advancing social sciences and humanities for public use by initiating,
undertaking and fostering basic and applied research in human and social sciences, and
geopolitical issues; stimulated public debate and disseminated research results.
D – “Contribution to Development and Social Progress in Africa”: Conducting research, analysing and
publishing data that aims to address developmental challenges in South Africa and elsewhere in
Africa and the rest of the world.
E – “Enhanced Skills”: Contribution to the development of a skilled and capable workforce in the
Republic and elsewhere in Africa by providing developing research skills & capacity.
P – “Preserved data & knowledge”: Digitisation and preservation of data sets.
T – “Transformation”: Transformation at senior level to reflect the national demographic composition
with respect to race and gender.
S – “Financial Sustainability”: Improvement and implementation of effective and efficient systems of
financial management and good corporate governance; and ensuring sustainability of research
funding through long-term research projects and longitudinal studies.
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Performance Highlights
Overall achievement 71% (Achieved 29 out of 41)
Based on revised annual performance targets
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HSRC 2014/15 Performance against targets
Publications as at 31 March 2015
1.9
1.83
16
Peer-reviewed
journal articles
13
Scholarly books
published
1.9
1.83
23 23
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5252 5454
Policy Briefs
8
Scholarly book
chapters published
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HSRC 2013/14 Performance against targets
Research Capacity Enhancement
as at 31 March 2015
47
23
19
Masters’s Interns
45
PhD Interns
27
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Post Doctoral Interns
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HSRC 2014/15 Performance against targets
Transformation as at 31 March 2015
48%
54%
African Senior Researchers
Female Senior Researchers
36%
42%
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HSRC 2014/15 Performance against targets
Collaboration, Public Dialogue &
Data Preservation as at 31 March 2015
58
47
35
50
Active MoU’s
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HSRC Seminars
Preserved Datasets
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HSRC 2014/15 Performance against targets
Financial Sustainability as at
31 March 2015
48%
52% 52%
39%
Extra-Parliamentary Funding
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Multi-year grants
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Governance: Ethics
Ethical leadership: Board approved HSRC Code of Ethics and the Code of Conduct and circulated to staff
The Anti-Corruption Strategy: approved by the board to provide a framework for the management of
ethics risks across the HSRC
Enforced policy on conflict of interest
HSRC commemorates the international anti-corruption day on 9 December every year since 2010
Research ethics and integrity unit well established
Research Ethics Committee considered 70 proposals
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The governance of risk
As an organisation, the HSRC continues to review the risk management policy, which
reflects the board’s stance on ERM related matters.
The Risk Management Committee & Audit and Risk Committee are governance structures
in place, chaired by an independent specialist member and finance specialist Board
member respectively.
Risk Assessments are conducted on an annual basis, laying a foundation to also identify
emerging risks.
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Audit Outcomes
AGSA Audit for the HSRC has been completed and the following are major highlights of the audit outcomes:
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UNQUALIFIED CLEAN Audit Opinion issued by the AGSA;
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NO Audit Adjustments were processed to the AFS;
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1 Audit Finding was raised by the AGSA (IT governance);
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The internal control environment remained effective for the period under review.
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Analysis of Audit Findings
Audit Findings
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44
40
35
30
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25
20
15
10
19
1
1
20
20
1
10
10
5
0
1
2014/15
1
2013/14
1
2012/13
2011/12
18
2010/11
2009/10
2008/09
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Financial Performance
2014 Highlights vs 2013
Parliamentary Grant
External Income Performance
101%
82%
82%
100%
Other Income
104%
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106%
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Financial Performance
Expenses Budget / Actual
91
65
42
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Admin
Expenses
Research Cost
Staff Cost
Other Opr.
Expenses
Depreciation
Budget
60 119
93 533
225 394
41 056
10 665
Actual
50 560
73 598
230 868
25 992
8692
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Income generation over the years
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
Research Revenue
Parliamentary Grant
Other Income
Total Income
21
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
0
2005
100,000
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Publishing & Knowledge Dissemination
Internationally accredited journal articles counted for ADEPTS:
121
International Accredited journal articles not counted for ADEPTS:
20
Journal Articles -Peer-reviewed (SA & Others) Not counted for ADEPTS:
32
Journal Articles – Non-Peer-reviewed not counted for ADEPTS:
57
Scholarly books counted for ADEPTS:
16
Non-Scholarly not counted for ADEPTS:
5
Scholarly chapters in books counted for ADEPTS:
49
Non-scholarly chapters in books not counted for ADEPTS:
8
Client and other research reports counted for ADEPTS:
52
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Research to Influence Policy
Strategic Research Issues Raised by the Minister as 2015/16 Challenges
Closer alignment of the HSRC’s Strategic Plan to national priorities :
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The South African National HIV Behavioural and Health Survey – (SABSSM) I, II, III, IV;
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Trends in Mathematics and Science Survey – TIMSS;
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Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) looking at Operation Phakisa;
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Research on Economic activities in township areas, and more specifically on the impact of big retailers
moving into these areas on consumers and the owners of small ‘spaza’ shops:
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An assessments of the impact of expenditures by the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA);
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An assessment of whether municipal by-laws are responsive to the local conditions confronting the informal
sector in townships areas; and
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A tracking of the implementation of the National Informal Business Upliftment Strategy (NIBUS).
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Focus on Humanities
2005 to 2015
Convergence of the research agenda/activities of the HSRC and the NIHSS
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The NIHSS catalytic projects on Lineages of Freedom, Heritage Hubs and Hidden Voices; and the
HSRC’s programme of work being done under the auspices of the Liberation Studies Institute and in
conjunction with HSRC Press and RIA (projects on heritage routes, ‘Voices of Liberation’ book series,
and on Military Veterans).
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The NIHSS catalytic project on Indigenous Languages and Humanities Concept Formation and the
research work on African languages, schooling and multilingualism being done in the HSRC’s Education
and Skills Development (ESD) research programme.
In particular the research undertaken in the HSD research programme focuses on:
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The social conditions and identity markers that shape people’s life opportunities;
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Social discourse, movements and policies that contribute to change,
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How diversity in gender, culture, language and identity shape social cohesion; and
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Historical legacies of racial and ethnic division.
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Focus on Humanities
2005 to 2015
Examples of HSRC research programmes are mainstreaming
humanities-centred research questions in their projects
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A recent example is the project funded by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
in which the HSRC in partnership with the University of Fort Hare were requested to assess the impact
of the decisions of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal on the transformation of
society.
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The on-going project focuses on socio-economic rights and to what extent court decisions have
changed the relevant jurisprudence, how these decisions have been implemented and whether access
to the courts (and particularly the Constitutional Court) can be made easier for poor applicants and
litigants. Perspectives from human rights, law, history and indigenous knowledge were used in the
project.
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Collaboration with Research institutions
2005 to 2015
Collaborations between the HSRC and universities
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The HSRC collaborates with universities, university research centres, researchers based in universities
via active MOU’s and cooperation agreements
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HSRC researcher trainees are MA and PhD students registered in universities
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Establishment of joint research consortia for large research projects,
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Joint appointments and staff exchanges,
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Supervision and examination of post-graduate students,
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Joint training workshops,
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Research dissemination seminars, and;
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Secondary analysis of databases.
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Collaboration with Research institutions
2005 to 2015
The HSRC interfaces and collaborates with specific South African Research
Chairs and Centres of Excellence:
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Recent examples of such collaborations include the simultaneous appointment of Linda Richter, a
Distinguished Research Specialist in the HSRC, as head of the CoE on Human Development at Wits/UKZN;
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The collaboration agreement that is being negotiated between CeSTII and the CoE in Scientometrics and
Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy at Stellenbosch/TUT;
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The participation of various South African Research Chairs Workshops and the Human and Social
Dynamics Research Seminars hosted by the Research use & Impact Assessment (RIA) unit in the HSRC for
example with:
Social Change – UFH;
Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies – UWC;
Poverty and Inequality Research – UCT;
Land Reform & Democracy in SA – UCT.
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Collaboration with Research institutions
2005 to 2015
Active MoU Map of the HSRC
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AISA incorporation into HSRC update
2005 to 2015
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Monthly meetings of an Africa focus subcommittee take place to share information on current and
envisaged Africa-focus research and networking activities within and across the organisation. Based
upon identified principles and imperatives in the study of Africa in Africa and the African Union’s
Agenda 2063, the subcommittee is developing the first draft of the proposed new research agenda for
AISA in the HSRC.
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Meetings with senior representatives of the NRF and the CSIR to identify the topical, institutional and
geographical focus of our current research projects and collaboration on the African continent. Based
upon this mapping and subsequent efforts at synergy and concentrated effort, future areas of research
collaboration in and regarding Africa are being identified and taken forward.
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On-going discussions with counterpart organisations with a continental or regional focus, for instance
the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) on opportunities for
research collaborations and on theory and method in the study of Africa in Africa.
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Consultations with the DST on its multilateral and bilateral research agenda and collaborations on the
African continent to ensure alignment and synergies between priorities and initiatives.
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A search for a Executive Director for AISA in the HSRC is on-going.
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Conclusion
HSRC is a high performing and well governed institution, with the Board providing management
with strategic direction;
Continues to achieve the majority of annual targets;
Good absorptive capacity and managed finances very well;
Continued to become more of a global player in knowledge production and dissemination.
We want to thank the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology
We want to thank the Minister, the DG and all DST staff for their continued support.
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