Article Processing Charges (APCs) are levied on authors once their articles have been accepted for publication. Open-access journals use APCs instead of traditional subscription fees that libraries and readers have traditionally paid to access research articles. APCs transfer the responsibility for journal production costs (such as editing, peer review, hosting, archiving, and preservation) from readers to authors. Paying an APC ensures that an article is accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

APCs should not be confused with page charges, which have long been associated with both print and digital publications. Page charges are used to cover administrative costs and the expenses related to print publications but do not grant access to articles in an open-access (OA) model. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk is an open-access journal and, therefore, freely accessible. The journal does not impose charges for article submissions or their review. However, certain professional production tasks require payment for publishing the Journal, even though the journal's operational management offers their services pro bono, and the editorial board and editorial advisory committee members volunteer their services.

Corresponding authors (for 2024) will receive an invoice of R4000.00 (incl.VAT) per article from Stellenbosch University when an article has been provisionally accepted for publication or after the article has been published. The handling of these APCs will be managed by the managing editor of the Journal and financial administrator within the Stellenbosch University financial system. The APC’s will increase to R4600 (incl. VAT) in 2025. Thus, all articles that are provisionally accepted for publication in 2025 will be invoiced at R4600.

Corresponding authors need to declare on a details page template when they submit articles that they and their co-authors (if applicable) are aware of the APCs to be paid after the article has been accepted for publication. Corresponding authors are also notified of the article APCs fees by the Editor-in-Chief when they receive a formal receipt acknowledgment after an article submission, as well as with every subsequent resubmission. All authors must sign the Publishing Agreement, which states that the corresponding author is responsible for settling the APC invoice within one month after it was issued.

It is highly recommended that in the case of multi-authored articles, authors agree among themselves before publication on who will pay the production fees and how they will be paid. Invoices cannot be issued separately to multiple authors for the same article, and the corresponding author is responsible for the payment of the total invoice.

SW/MW is accredited as an international research Journal for the purpose of subsidy by the government for South African authors. Please refer to the Research Outputs Policy, 2015, Vol. 597, Pretoria, 11 March 2015, No. 38552 of the South African Department of Higher Education and Training. Hence, the article APCs of the Journal may be covered by this subsidy for South African authors affiliated with universities. However, these subsidies are typically disbursed two years after article publication. Therefore, authors need to arrange advance payments with their universities and, in the case of co-authors, with each other to ensure that the invoice is fully paid within 30 days after it has been issued by Stellenbosch University. Stellenbosch University will charge interest at a rate determined by their bankers on all outstanding amounts. Any difficulties encountered by the corresponding author in paying the APC invoice should not be used as an excuse for late payment, as the payment of APCs is essential to ensure the sustainability of the Journal and the uninterrupted publication of future issues.

Regrettably, the Journal is unable to provide subsidies or exemptions for authors, including those who are not affiliated with South African universities.

Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk may charge the Author(s) for redrawing figures resulting from substandard qualities of submitted figures and for substantial content changes at the proof stage. However, this will be communicated and arranged beforehand by the Editor-in-Chief with the Author(s).