Published 22 June 2026
Important Update to the Full Ethics Approval Process
Dear Staff and Students,
Please take note of the following important update regarding the ethics approval process for research studies, effective immediately.
In response to recent guidance from the National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC) and in accordance with the National Department of Health (NDoH) Guidelines (2024, Section 3.1.1), ethics review procedures have been standardized across all Research Ethics Committees (RECs). The following process will apply to all research studies requiring gatekeeper or site permission:
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Provisional Ethics Approval The REC will initially issue provisional approval only. This does not constitute full ethics approval and does NOT authorize the commencement of participant recruitment or data collection.
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Gatekeeper/Site Permission Researchers must submit the provisional approval letter to the relevant gatekeeper(s) or site(s) to obtain the required permission to conduct the study.
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Submission of Proof of Permission Once gatekeeper or site permission has been granted, researchers must upload the relevant permission letter(s) to MEOS as proof of gatekeeper approval.
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Full Ethics Approval The REC will issue full ethics approval only after receipt of the required gatekeeper/site permission documentation. Research activities, including recruitment and data collection, may commence ONLY once full ethics approval has been granted.
Please note that all approved research sites will be listed in the final ethics approval letter in accordance with NHREC requirements.
For multi-site studies, researchers may submit gatekeeper permission letters as they are received. The REC will issue updated ethics approval letters reflecting the approved sites. Research activities may commence ONLY at those sites for which gatekeeper permission has been obtained and included in the updated approval letter.
Should you have any questions or require further clarification, please contact the Research Ethics Department at Researchethics@mandela.ac.za.
Kind regards,
Research Ethics Department