Peer review serves is one of the most important mechanisms for validating the information contained in scholarly journals. ASSAf being a leader in terms of best practices in scholarly publishing, hosted a panel discussion webinar on Good Peer Review Practices on 31 July 2020, focussing on a few key issues in the peer review processes for scholarly journals, including: the importance and value of originality in scholarly publishing; the critical role of mentorship, scholarship development and passing the torch to the next generation; peer review practices and processes in scientific journals and scholarship development in South Africa from a peer reviewer perspective; and the perceptions of the contested role of the peer reviewer.

The panel was facilitated by Dr Lucienne Abrahams, Corresponding Editor of the African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC). The presenters included Dr Salmina Mokgehle, Researcher at the Agricultural Research Council – Vegetable and Ornamental Plants (ARC-VOP), and an Associate Editor Mentee of SAJS in the field of Agriculture and Forestry; Prof Mokoko Piet Sebola, Professor of Public Administration and Director of the School of Economics and Management at the University of Limpopo; and Dr Andy Carolin, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg.

The webinar was attended by 173 participants and was very well received. The participants contributed with valuable suggestions which ASSAf will take forward to support the emerging researchers and journal editors.