Mandate

The main objectives of the South African Journal of Natural Science and Technology (Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie: SATNT) are:

• to expand our knowledge regarding the natural sciences and technology by making an open-access peer-reviewed science journal available in which South African research results can be publish for international exposure and citation;
• to offer an opportunity for Afrikaans-speaking scientists to publish research results in their mother tongue; and
• to maintain and further expand Afrikaans as a scientific language in the natural sciences and technology.

History

The South African Academy of Science and Art (Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns: SAAWK), originally the Zuid-Afrikaanse Akademie voor Taal, Letteren en Kunst, was founded in 1909. In 1922, the SAAWK decided to introduce their first scientific journal, namely the Journal of Science and Art (Tydskrif vir Wetenskap en Kuns) under the editorship of dr. D.F. Malherbe. In 1948, however, the Engineering division of the SAAWK decided to separately start publishing the Journal of the Engineering Division of the SAAWK (Tydskrif van die Ingenieursafdeling van die SAAWK) under the editorship of mr. S.A. Malan. This journal’s mandate was extended in 1949, after which it was replaced by the journal Tegnikon under the editorship of mr. F.S. Uys. In 1961, it was decided to split the Journal of Science and Art into two journals, from which the Journal of Humanities (Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe) under the editorship of prof. P.J. Nienaber, and the Journal of Natural Science (Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskappe) under the editorship of dr. A. Strasheim were introduced. In 1982, Tegnikon and the Journal of Natural Sciences merged, from which the South African Journal of Natural Science and Technology (Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie: SATNT) was established – at this stage still under the editorship of dr. A. Strasheim. After 2000, prof J.N. Eloff was appointed as the Chairperson of the Editorial Committee of the SATNT. With new developments in computer communication technology, the first electronic online edition of the SATNT was published in 2012. Between 2013 and 2016, prof. J.G. Maree served as Chief Editor, and after 2016 prof J.N. Eloff was again appointed as Chief Editor of the SATNT. Prof. Oppel B.W. Greeff then took over as Chief Editor – a position that he held until the end of February 2023. Since March 2023 prof. Hannes Rautenbach was appointed as Chief Editor of the SATNT.

Strategy

The Editorial Team would like to invite scientists to submit good quality manuscripts, in Afrikaans or English, of South African related research findings over a wide range of topics in the natural science and technology.

Manuscripts will appear online as scientific papers after acceptance, and at the end of each year only the Afrikaans papers will be published in the form of a paper-printed journal, after which it will be sent to all members of the SAAWK. Researchers are therefore encouraged to submit their manuscripts in Afrikaans.

However, there is also the opportunity to submit manuscripts in English, after which they may be sent to international reviewers, and if accepted for publication, they will be translated into Afrikaans.   

When a manuscript is submitted in English, a publication fee of R2 500 will be required. In addition, it would be expected from the author to pay half of the cost for translation into Afrikaans (the SATNT will pay the other half of the translation costs).

The Afrikaans publication, and if there is an English online version available, will have the same reference under its Afrikaans or English title with a journal reference to the South African Journal of Science and Technology.

It is regarded as important that the findings of Afrikaans-speaking scientists are accessible internationally for the sake of the development of science and the citation of their publications. The solution that the SATNT offers, with excellent financial support from its sponsors, is to publish papers as printed copies once a year in Afrikaans. The online edition can therefor also, if the manuscript was originally in English, contain the complete paper in English, in addition to Afrikaans.

Access Policy

The SATNT provides immediate open access to its content. Through this, the journal supports the principle that free access to research promotes the global exchange of knowledge.

Accreditation and limitations

All research papers in the SATNT qualify for subsidy from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) at the university or research institution to which the authors are affiliated. However, the DHET places the limitation that no more than 25% of the total number of papers within the scope of a year may come from a single university or research institution. Publications from more than one university or research institution are therefore published online after acceptance, while papers from a single university or research institution will be withheld from being published online if more than 25% of papers from that institution have already been received. Authors are therefore encouraged to collaborate with colleagues at other universities or research institutions.

Support

Through the excellent sponsorships we receive, among others from the Hiemstra Trust and the Het Jan Marais Fund, no publication fees are required for contributions in Afrikaans, while a fee of R2 500 is required for contributions in English. Published papers can immediately be placed on external research platforms, such as ResearchGate etc., to increase the visibility of the papers.

The editing process is set up so that manuscripts can be evaluated, edited, and be posted online with little effort. Although the SATNT is published and financed under the auspices of the SAAWK, the manuscript management is being handled by an independent contractor.

Distribution and Indexing

The full text of each paper is stored immediately and permanently after publication in the SATNT archives of the major bibliographic databases below. Furthermore, all papers published since 1982 are available electronically on the SATNT website: www.satnt.ac.za.

DHET SA List, Thomson Reuters Web of Science Other Coverage, BIOSIS Previews, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), EBSCO Host, GALE, CENGAGE Learning, Google Scholar, ProQuest, Norwegian Register for Scientific Journals, Series and Publishers, Level 1, Portico, Medpharm Library, SA ePublications, Sabinet, South African Government Libraries.

Sponsors

Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (SAAWK).