He who pays the piper calls the tune: personal reflections on collaborators, conspirators and researchers at the HSRC

Having worked at the HSRC for 16 years and recently having undergone my fifth or sixth organisational transformation, one could do with greater stability especially if this might change the funding model, create formal relationships with universities, and reduce the quandaries that arise when doing contract research. The governmentseems to require the regular restructuring of the HSRC research agenda and programmes, specifically in line with the general elections and subsequent medium-term expenditure framework, seemingly detracting from the autonomy of the HSRC.During the last decade, the government was riddled with corruption and mired in state capture. This situation has impacted on the access to funds and possiblythe type of research requested by the state. Some criticisms by Cloete and others,therefore, have merit; but most seem rather facetious, especially when directed exclusively at the HSRC.