The Institute is independent of government and all political parties and sees its role as to serve its members and the country at large in order to make South Africa the political and economic success of the continent.

We investigate the facts surrounding social and economic conditions in South Africa and disseminate these facts as widely as possible, thereby promoting best practice and policy to address issues such as poverty and inequality, and promote economic growth.

The Institute is unique in that it tracks trends in every area of South Africa's development ranging from business and the economy to crime, living conditions, and politics. The result is the best data and analysis on South Africa from an organisation that has been in the business of sourcing and analysing data and trends for almost 80 years.

The Institute also operates one of the largest bursary schemes in South Africa (for more information about bursaries please visit our Bursaries section).