Page 225 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

G O V E R NAN C E

and opportunities, and track the implementation of Key business risks and opportunities, grouped
management action plans. Internal audit provides by strategic priority, together with the principal
independent assurance regarding the effectiveness mitigating actions aligned with strategic objectives,
of controls intended to reduce the probability and are detailed further below.
consequences of identified risks.

RISK RISK CONTEXT TO RISK OPPORTUNITIES TO
CATEGORY VALUE CREATION MITIGATIONS CREATE VALUE

Administer health research effectively and efficiently, and in accordance with good corporate governance practices
Legal and Onerous legislative › Policies, guidelines, legal › Improved legislative
regulatory requirements and compliance staff, training compliance and bespoke
requirements complexity of the POPI Act programmes, and dedicated training and support
internal resources
Data Cyberthreats over SAMRC › Firewall protection, penetration › Continuous monitoring and
management data/intellectual property testing, data security tools, enhanced data security,
and misuse of research data monitoring, policies, and training training and innovation
People Complexity of the research › Development programmes, › Bespoke capacity building
management ecosystem to enable training databases, surveys, programmes to improve staff
function people to flourish remuneration revision, and retention
leadership programmes
Lead the generation of new knowledge and funding of research

Research integrity Inconsistent data processes, › Established Research Integrity › Ongoing strengthening
mentorship challenges, Office, ethics committees, peer digital and in-house training
negative media publicity reviews and data management to enhance research quality
and onerous new legislative guidelines and integrity
requirements
Transformation Progression in staff › EE Strategy, transformation › Ongoing enhancement
transformation at senior forums, diversity initiatives, of leadership development
levels leadership programmes and diversity & inclusion
programmes
Funding Geoeconomic volatility: › New co-funding partnerships, › Dedicated on-going
landscape Difficulty in maintaining and proposal tracking, continuous investigation for further local
diversifying funding sources funding opportunity and international funding
investigations opportunities in both the
private and public sector
Supporting health innovation and technology development through funding to improve health
Innovation Limited funding for the › IP policy, portfolio reviews, › Active engagement for
Commercialisation value proposition of the project follow-ups, external external partnering to
innovation, reducing partnerships pursue commercialisation
interest from the industry opportunities
to commercialize or target
market to implement
Building sustainable health research human capacity in South Africa

Capacity building Further development of › Capacity building strategy for › Continuous engagement
in scarce skills research scientists is needed supporting the development of with HDI universities to
to assist in growing the pool HDI research scientists further grow clinical research
of South African HDI medical capacity
research scientists
Research translation into policy and practice to improve health

Knowledge The risk of funding invested in › Strategic plans, success sharing, › Ongoing translation of
translation interventions not progressing ongoing funding investigations research into policy through
into the next phase of sharing success of research
development/translation translation stories

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