South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)
Public Entity · Social Services · reports to Department of Health (DoH)
The South African Medical Research Council funds and conducts health research. It was established in 1969 and operates under the South African Medical Research Council Act, 1991 (Act No. 58 of 1991).
Its mandate is to improve the health and quality of life of South Africans through research, development and technology transfer. It runs intramural research units and funds extramural units based at universities.
Its research priorities reflect the country’s burden of disease, covering HIV and tuberculosis, maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases, violence and injury, and health systems research. It produces the national burden of disease estimates and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the excess mortality reports that provided the most reliable measure of the pandemic’s true death toll.
Audit record, 5 years
Financial highlights, 2024/25
- Total Revenue
- R1.5bn
- Total Expenditure
- −R1.4bn
- Total Assets
- R1.2bn
- Total Liabilities
- R709m
Values in rand. Sparklines run oldest to newest and are scaled to each series, not to zero.
Leadership, 30 listed
- Chairperson
- Prof Tyrone Pretorius
- Deputy Chairperson
- Prof Bonginkosi Chiliza
- Board Members
- Ass Prof Razia Adam Prof Charlene Africa Ass Prof Sean Chetty Ms Doris Dondur Prof David Katerere Prof Limakatso Lebina Prof Zinhle Makatini Prof Lufuno Mathivha Prof Thandisizwe Mavundla Dr Xikombiso Mbhenyane Ass Prof Tracey Naledi Prof Ntobeko Ntusi Dr Vathiswa Papu-Zamxaka Prof Tahir Pillay Prof Sharon Prince Dr Nico Swartz
- Chief Executive Officer
- Prof Ntobeko Ntusi
- Chief Financial Officer
- Mr Sivuyile Ngqongwa
- Senior Management
- Ms Ntoza Bam Mr Nizar Davids Prof Angela Mathee Dr Mongezi Mdhluli Dr Michelle Mulder Mr Mzimhle Popo Prof Liesl Zu00fchlke
- Communications Officers
- Ms Natasha Crouch Ms Yolanda Phakela Mr Tendani Tsedu
Description written for this directory from the entity’s own published sources: www.samrc.ac.za, www.gov.za