Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
South Africa Highly Cited Researchers Citation in South Africa Rankings 2025
The Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) highlight the most cited and influential researchers across a vast range of scientific fields, covering 197 main and sub-disciplines, including the Art and Humanities Citation Rankings and Social Sciences and Humanities Citation Rankings. This service, offered exclusively by AD Scientific Index, aims to provide a balanced perspective by excluding data from CERN and other statistical sources that disproportionately favor certain researchers, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. This unique approach addresses the advantages researchers with multi-author publications and CERN involvement hold over others. Furthermore, citation rankings help uncover rule violations and unethical practices within the research community. For more detailed citation analyses, explore the Scientists Last 6 Years Citation Index, Universities Total Citations Rankings 2025, and Universities Last 6 Years Citations Rankings 2025.
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :1
education
curriculum
policy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
11,023
3,587
0.325
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :2
Language education
literacy education
critical literacy
discourse analysis
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,778
4,999
0.511
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,590
2,259
0.298
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :4
Physical activity
bone health
body composition
metabolic disease
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,908
4,572
0.662
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :5
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,566
5,646
0.860
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
educational technology
higher education
learning analytics
student success
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,307
4,750
0.753
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
Educational technology
ICTs in education
forms of teaching & learning provision: higher education transformation
inequality
equity
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,070
3,804
0.627
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,035
4,998
0.828
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :9
Environmental Education
Curriculum Studies
Sustainability Education
Research Methodology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,829
3,838
0.658
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,656
1,513
0.268
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :11
education
race
south africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,090
1,817
0.357
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,081
2,447
0.482
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :13
Sport Chiropractic
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,071
1,514
0.299
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
educational leadership and management
financial and human resource management in education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,538
2,910
0.641
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
Facilitation of learning
research as active involvement
researcher accountabilities
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,395
1,558
0.354
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :16
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,320
1,641
0.380
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
Science Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,253
2,171
0.510
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :18
Inclusive education
Childhood disability
Professional learning and well-being of teachers and
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,173
1,674
0.401
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
Natural Language Processing
Machine Learning
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,854
3,727
0.967
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :20
Comparative and International Education
Education
Higher Education
History of Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,848
1,936
0.503
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :21
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,774
1,665
0.441
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :22
Wellbeing
Positive Psychology
Sustainable development goals
Quality of Life
HIV/AIDS
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,715
1,446
0.389
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :23
scientific literacy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,595
1,167
0.325
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :24
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,403
2,016
0.592
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
Inclusivity
Diversity
Inclusive Education
Learning Support
Higher Education and inclusion
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,185
2,266
0.711
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
87,919
303
47
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Jonathan Jansen
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
11,023
3,587
0.325
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
101,028
362
48
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Hilary Janks
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,778
4,999
0.511
Language education
literacy education
critical literacy
discourse analysis
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
134,199
526
124
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Pam Christie
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,590
2,259
0.298
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
148,315
586
75
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Lisa Micklesfield
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,908
4,572
0.662
Physical activity
bone health
body composition
metabolic disease
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
156,383
612
13
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Diederik J Opperman
University of the Free State
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,566
5,646
0.860
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
162,984
641
13
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Paul Prinsloo
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,307
4,750
0.753
educational technology
higher education
learning analytics
student success
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
169,394
674
161
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Laura Czerniewicz
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,070
3,804
0.627
Educational technology
ICTs in education
forms of teaching & learning provision: higher education transformation
inequality
equity
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
170,353
682
84
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Catherine Draper
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,035
4,998
0.828
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
176,359
712
95
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Lesley Le Grange
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,829
3,838
0.658
Environmental Education
Curriculum Studies
Sustainability Education
Research Methodology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
181,855
740
34
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Linda Chisholm
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,656
1,513
0.268
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
201,281
835
197
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Crain Soudien
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,090
1,817
0.357
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
201,645
836
72
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Relebohile Moletsane
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,081
2,447
0.482
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
202,039
837
12
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Henry Pollard
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,071
1,514
0.299
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
224,569
943
61
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Raj Mestry
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,538
2,910
0.641
educational leadership and management
financial and human resource management in education
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
231,460
968
22
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Norma Romm
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,395
1,558
0.354
Facilitation of learning
research as active involvement
researcher accountabilities
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
235,117
982
126
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Brahm Fleisch
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,320
1,641
0.380
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
238,531
1,004
128
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Marissa Rollnick
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,253
2,171
0.510
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
242,809
1,023
128
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Estelle Swart
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,173
1,674
0.401
Inclusive education
Childhood disability
Professional learning and well-being of teachers and
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
260,822
1,112
248
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Jan Buys
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,854
3,727
0.967
Natural Language Processing
Machine Learning
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
261,213
1,114
46
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
CC Wolhuter
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,848
1,936
0.503
Comparative and International Education
Education
Higher Education
History of Education
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
265,675
1,140
100
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Liesel Ebersöhn
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,774
1,665
0.441
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
269,259
1,163
103
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Irma Eloff
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,715
1,446
0.389
Wellbeing
Positive Psychology
Sustainable development goals
Quality of Life
HIV/AIDS
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
277,013
1,194
261
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Rudiger Christian Laugksch
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,595
1,167
0.325
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
290,404
1,268
29
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Mellony Graven
Rhodes University
Grahamstown, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,403
2,016
0.592
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
307,080
1,360
62
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Mirna Nel
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,185
2,266
0.711
Inclusivity
Diversity
Inclusive Education
Learning Support
Higher Education and inclusion