South Africa

All 586 institutions →Its researchers →Its rankings →Compare its leaders →

Institutions: 586Research organisations of every kind
Publications: 720,9001900–2027
Citations: 15,708,966to those works
Open access: 55%394,299 free to read
International: 41%with a co-author outside the country

Output and citations by year

Publications, left axisCitations to that year’s papers, right axis2026 still in progress

Leading institutions

By publications

1University of Cape TownRondebosch · 38,458 scholars99,9843,410,402 citations
2University of the WitwatersrandJohannesburg · 35,557 scholars89,9852,414,469 citations
3University of PretoriaPretoria · 31,236 scholars80,8401,617,125 citations
4Stellenbosch UniversityStellenbosch · 27,744 scholars74,4851,938,888 citations
5University of KwaZulu-NatalDurban · 27,838 scholars73,1531,763,449 citations
6University of JohannesburgJohannesburg · 17,032 scholars58,882983,170 citations
7University of South AfricaPretoria · 15,537 scholars46,081536,256 citations
8North-West UniversityPotchefstroom · 13,957 scholars41,500786,106 citations
9University of the Free StateBloemfontein · 13,728 scholars35,099517,007 citations
10University of the Western CapeCape Town · 8,921 scholars23,683536,256 citations
11Rhodes UniversityGrahamstown · 6,603 scholars19,376446,415 citations
12Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchPretoria · 8,529 scholars17,923520,886 citations
13South African Medical Research CouncilCape Town · 5,808 scholars15,008589,555 citations
14Nelson Mandela UniversityPort Elizabeth · 5,458 scholars14,959244,782 citations
15Tshwane University of TechnologyPretoria · 5,964 scholars14,574244,597 citations
16Durban University of TechnologyDurban · 4,828 scholars12,378151,757 citations
17University of LimpopoPolokwane · 5,236 scholars10,609124,031 citations
18Groote Schuur HospitalCape Town · 5,970 scholars9,577327,724 citations
19University of Fort HareAlice · 3,743 scholars9,142169,543 citations
20National Health Laboratory ServiceJohannesburg · 3,775 scholars8,557288,331 citations
21Cape Peninsula University of TechnologyCape Town · 3,861 scholars8,405118,386 citations
22University of VendaThohoyandou · 3,241 scholars7,27686,041 citations
23Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences UniversityPretoria · 3,377 scholars7,04290,549 citations
24University of ZululandEmpangeni · 2,735 scholars6,55880,410 citations
25Walter Sisulu UniversityMthatha · 2,666 scholars6,33558,488 citations
26Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular MedicineCape Town · 2,278 scholars5,808324,903 citations
27Tygerberg HospitalCape Town · 3,504 scholars5,314138,271 citations
28Agricultural Research Council of South AfricaPretoria · 2,186 scholars4,991103,023 citations
29Human Sciences Research CouncilPretoria · 1,650 scholars4,262125,192 citations
30Vaal University of TechnologyVanderbijlpark · 1,797 scholars4,17849,939 citations
31South African Astronomical ObservatoryCape Town · 1,023 scholars3,853155,935 citations
32Central University of TechnologyBloemfontein · 1,593 scholars3,80542,277 citations
33Sustainability InstituteStellenbosch · 3,843 scholars3,78320,686 citations
34National Institute for Communicable DiseasesJohannesburg · 1,587 scholars3,691179,832 citations
35Red Cross War Memorial Children's HospitalCape Town · 1,813 scholars3,501103,243 citations
36Chris Hani Baragwanath HospitalJohannesburg · 2,618 scholars3,40992,819 citations
37National Research FoundationPretoria · 1,849 scholars3,268140,331 citations
38Johannesburg HospitalJohannesburg · 2,510 scholars3,20781,780 citations
39South African National Biodiversity InstitutePretoria · 849 scholars3,167119,265 citations
40South African Institute for Medical ResearchJohannesburg · 2,186 scholars2,99176,141 citations
41Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology InstitutePretoria · 942 scholars2,632111,660 citations
42African Institute for Mathematical SciencesCape Town · 1,255 scholars2,61670,578 citations
43Eskom (South Africa)Johannesburg · 3,120 scholars2,4999,265 citations
44Africa Health Research InstituteDurban · 1,159 scholars2,34668,904 citations
45Department of HealthPretoria · 2,065 scholars2,32449,713 citations
46Western Cape Department of HealthCape Town · 1,980 scholars2,32228,653 citations
47iThemba LaboratoryStellenbosch · 943 scholars2,16841,911 citations
48Onderstepoort Veterinary InstitutePretoria · 982 scholars2,16163,807 citations
49Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South AfricaDurban · 916 scholars2,11999,654 citations
50MintekJohannesburg · 1,062 scholars2,11335,024 citations