ASSAf & SACNASP Annual Performance Plans 2026/27

Video Annual Performance Plan (APP) of Government Departments & Entities 2026/27 Chairperson: The Portfolio Committee considered the 2026/27 Annual Performance Plans and budgets of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP). The Chairperson emphasized the critical role of both entities in promoting evidence ‑ based policy and scholarly excellence, alongside Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to ensure oversight and effective use of public resources. ASSAf reported on its priorities including the food ‑ water ‑ energy ‑ climate nexus, digital transformation, the future of society, and service to society. It focuses on providing scientific advice, promoting engagement, mobilising knowledge, facilitating partnerships, and advancing scholarship. ASSAf noted its unqualified audit, ongoing ICT improvements, and targeted investment in youth development of R6 million, or 14% of its budget. Despite progress, Members raised concerns about slow transformation, with representation at approximately 33% women and 35% black academics, and the absence of clear accountability targets. ASSAf acknowledged these challenges, attributing limitations partly to reliance on external nominations from universities, and outlined efforts to expand participation and develop a pipeline through the South African Young Academy of Science. Additional concerns included limited budget transparency, lack of measurable performance indicators, and the impact of ASSAf’s research on policy. ASSAf affirmed that its consensus studies inform policy through engagement with government departments. Financially, the entity operates across multiple cost centres, making detailed breakdowns difficult to present, although internal monitoring is conducted monthly. SACNASP highlighted its mandate as the statutory regulator for natural science professions, focusing on registration, professional development, advisory support, and enforcement of ethical standards. Strategic priorities include increasing registrations, improving turnaround times, strengthening professional standards, and promoting transformation and partnerships. Key risks identified include ICT system inefficiencies, reputational risks, inadequate promotion of the profession, and weak partnerships, all of which SACNASP is addressing through digital modernisation and stakeholder engagement. Members raised significant concerns on financial sustainability, particularly SACNASP’s heavy reliance on registration fees, declining profitability despite rising interest income, and limited diversification of revenue streams. Questions were also raised about long registration turnaround times (up to 140 days), low targets for international skills development, and insufficient measurable transformation outcomes beyond participation rates. Further issues included support for unemployed graduates, affordability of registration, and if professionalisation translates into employment opportunities. Concerns were also expressed about accountability mechanisms, enforcement of ethical standards, and the effectiveness of disciplinary processes. SACNASP outlined measures to address these concerns, including developing a student database, engaging employers to ease registration barriers, and enhancing digital systems to reduce turnaround times. It acknowledged that registration does not guarantee employment and emphasised programmes such as the Candidate Mentoring Phase to support skills development. Financially, revenue is generated primarily from registration fees, supplemented by application fees, partnerships, and interest from short ‑ term investments. It is undertaking an organisational redesign to address capacity constraints and improve service delivery. On governance, SACNASP reported approximately 20 disciplinary cases, highlighted legislative gaps, and emphasised the need for a new bill to strengthen enforcement. Performance is monitored quarterly, with corrective measures implemented where targets are not met. The meeting underscored the strategic importance of both ASSAf and SACNASP in advancing science and innovation in South Africa, while highlighting key challenges related to transformation, financial sustainability and operational efficiency.