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
Criminology
policing
environmental security
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
17,457
4,702
0.269
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :2
General Relativity
Dark Energy
Modified theories of gravity
Cosmology
Integrability
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,300
7,015
0.845
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
Salmonella
tuberculosis
campylobacter
Lawsonia
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,058
2,738
0.452
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :4
Systems analysis
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,811
1,718
0.296
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :5
Environmental law
environmental rights
environmental constitutionalism
Anthropocene
earth system
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,844
3,019
0.785
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
Bioethics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,575
2,215
0.620
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
International Human Rights Law
Regional Human Rights Systems
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,346
1,238
0.370
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
criminolgy
urban studies
ethnography
urban safety
security governance
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,692
1,033
0.384
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :9
comparative law
comparative constitutional law
legal history
media law
international law
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,135
1,082
0.507
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
Constitutional law
International Human Rights Law
Social Rights
Equality
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,132
698
0.327
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :11
law and social change
courts and the poor
socio-economic rights including land
gender-based harm on campus
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,866
761
0.408
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
rights & regulation
competition policy
legal profession
migration & citizenship
South & Southern Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,752
678
0.387
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :13
Constitutional Law
human rights
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,739
549
0.316
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
Chldren's rights
family law
human rights
equality
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,618
583
0.360
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
federalism
multilevel government
local government
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,548
755
0.488
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :16
Law. health research
HIVm children
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,435
614
0.428
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
Human Rights
Constitutional Law
Administrative Law
International Law
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,430
780
0.545
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :18
Urban law and governance
socio-economic rights
constitutional law
law and urban space
right to health
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,357
488
0.360
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
International children's rights
restorative justice
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,356
500
0.369
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :20
health
disability
race
culture. sexualities
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,304
507
0.389
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :21
Constitutional law
sexual orientation
non-discrimination
social and economic rights
judiciary
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,277
448
0.351
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :22
Local Government
Decentralisation
Federalism
intergovernmental relations
development planning
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,247
658
0.528
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :23
International law
International criminal law
JUS COGENS
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,189
795
0.669
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :24
Public Procurement
Open Government
Integrity & Anti-Corruption
WTO Law
Development Law
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,140
570
0.500
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
Medical Law
Bioethics
Human Rights
Neuropathology
Public Health
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,130
539
0.477
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
48,840
156
32
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Clifford Shearing
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
17,457
4,702
0.269
Criminology
policing
environmental security
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
121,666
454
6
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Andronikos Paliathanasis
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,300
7,015
0.845
General Relativity
Dark Energy
Modified theories of gravity
Cosmology
Integrability
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
169,741
679
12
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Ml Van Der Walt Swanepoel
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,058
2,738
0.452
Salmonella
tuberculosis
campylobacter
Lawsonia
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
176,924
715
91
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Mary Scholes
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,811
1,718
0.296
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
261,429
1,115
47
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Louis J. Kotzé
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,844
3,019
0.785
Environmental law
environmental rights
environmental constitutionalism
Anthropocene
earth system
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
278,303
1,197
159
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Keymanthri Moodley
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,575
2,215
0.620
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
294,714
1,294
112
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Frans Viljoen
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,346
1,238
0.370
International Human Rights Law
Regional Human Rights Systems
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
352,413
1,604
19
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Monique Michal Marks
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,692
1,033
0.384
criminolgy
urban studies
ethnography
urban safety
security governance
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
420,202
1,992
196
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Charles Manga Fombad
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,135
1,082
0.507
comparative law
comparative constitutional law
legal history
media law
international law
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
420,667
1,998
260
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Sandra Liebenberg
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,132
698
0.327
Constitutional law
International Human Rights Law
Social Rights
Equality
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
462,907
2,209
240
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Jackie Dugard
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,866
761
0.408
law and social change
courts and the poor
socio-economic rights including land
gender-based harm on campus
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
483,199
2,296
250
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Jonathan Klaaren
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,752
678
0.387
rights & regulation
competition policy
legal profession
migration & citizenship
South & Southern Africa
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
485,774
2,313
253
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Catherine Albertyn
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,739
549
0.316
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
509,932
2,467
84
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Julia Sloth-Nielsen
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,618
583
0.360
Chldren's rights
family law
human rights
equality
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
524,861
2,557
88
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Nicolaas Steytler
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,548
755
0.488
federalism
multilevel government
local government
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
550,634
2,691
230
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Ann Strode
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,435
614
0.428
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
551,771
2,702
482
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Danwood Chirwa
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,430
780
0.545
Human Rights
Constitutional Law
Administrative Law
International Law
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
569,971
2,829
295
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Marius Pieterse
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,357
488
0.360
Urban law and governance
socio-economic rights
constitutional law
law and urban space
right to health
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
570,237
2,830
281
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Ann Skelton
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,356
500
0.369
International children's rights
restorative justice
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
583,937
2,906
290
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Charles Ngwena
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,304
507
0.389
health
disability
race
culture. sexualities
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
591,251
2,960
506
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Pierre De Vos
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,277
448
0.351
Constitutional law
sexual orientation
non-discrimination
social and economic rights
judiciary
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
599,400
3,001
106
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Jaap De Visser
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,247
658
0.528
Local Government
Decentralisation
Federalism
intergovernmental relations
development planning
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
616,219
3,103
315
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Dire Tladi
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,189
795
0.669
International law
International criminal law
JUS COGENS
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
631,451
3,178
391
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Sope Williams-Elegbe
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,140
570
0.500
Public Procurement
Open Government
Integrity & Anti-Corruption
WTO Law
Development Law
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
634,585
3,193
261
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Sylvester Chima|Sylvester C Chima, MD, Chima S C
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,130
539
0.477
Medical Law
Bioethics
Human Rights
Neuropathology
Public Health