Official Email Address: info@sairep.org.za
The South African Institute for Research and Evidence-Based Policy (SAIREP) is an independent research and policy institute committed to strengthening the connection between knowledge, evidence and public policy. We generate, translate and mobilise research to support informed decision-making and contribute to inclusive, sustainable and development-oriented outcomes in South Africa and across the African continent.
WHO WE ARE
SAIREP is a research and policy institute established to address a persistent gap between the production of knowledge and its use in public decision-making. We bring together researchers, academics, emerging scholars, policy practitioners and other stakeholders to generate credible evidence, interrogate complex policy challenges and translate research into practical policy insights.
Our work is grounded in the belief that research should not remain confined to academic publications. Evidence should be accessible, relevant and capable of informing the decisions that shape societies, institutions and people's lives. SAIREP therefore operates at the intersection of research, policy and practice, creating opportunities for knowledge to move beyond academia and contribute meaningfully to public discourse, policy development and implementation.
WHY WE EXIST
South Africa faces increasingly complex economic, social, technological and governance challenges. At the same time, valuable research and expertise are often fragmented across universities, research institutions, government, civil society and independent researchers.
SAIREP was established to help bridge these divides.
We seek to create stronger pathways between research and decision-making, ensuring that evidence is not only produced, but also communicated, interrogated and translated into knowledge that policymakers, practitioners and communities can use. Our role is therefore not simply to conduct research, but to help strengthen the ecosystem through which research becomes evidence, evidence informs policy, and policy contributes to development outcomes.
WHAT WE DO
OUR CORE FUNCTIONS
SAIREP operates at the intersection of research, policy, and practice.
We turn knowledge into evidence, evidence into policy and policy into impact.
OUR APPROACH
We seek to produce research and analysis grounded in evidence, methodological rigour and intellectual independence.
We work across disciplines and institutions, recognising that complex policy problems rarely have single-sector solutions.
Our research is grounded in the realities of South Africa and the broader African context.
We focus on research that can contribute to understanding of problems, inform decisions, and improve policy responses.
We create space for established researchers, emerging scholars, and students to contribute to knowledge production.
OUR VISION AND MISSION
A society in which credible evidence, rigorous research and inclusive knowledge inform better public policy and contribute to sustainable development.
To generate, translate and mobilise high-quality research and evidence that contributes to informed policymaking, strengthens public discourse and supports sustainable development in South Africa and across Africa.
OUR VALUES
We value honesty, transparency and responsible research.
Evidence
We place credible evidence at the centre of our work.
We pursue high standards of research and professional practice.
We encourage critical inquiry and evidence-led analysis.
We believe better solutions emerge from diverse expertise.
We seek to ensure that knowledge contributes beyond publication.
LEADERSHIP
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Thokozani Ncube is an Economic, Finance and Fiscal Policy Researcher at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, with a background in public management, governance and policy research. She holds a BA, BA Honours and MA in Public Management and Governance from the University of Johannesburg and is currently pursuing a PhD examining premature deindustrialisation and South Africa’s industrial development trajectory.
As the Founder and Executive Director of the South African Institute for Research and Evidence-Based Policy (SAIREP), Thokozani leads the organisation’s efforts to strengthen the connection between research, evidence and policymaking. Her research interests span economic and industrial policy, fiscal policy, governance, public-sector development, technology and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
She is particularly committed to translating research into practical policy insights while creating opportunities for emerging researchers and students to gain meaningful research experience, collaborate with established researchers and contribute to evidence-informed policy development.
Whether you are a researcher, policymaker, student, institution or potential partner, there are multiple ways to engage with SAIREP.
