The case for Open Access
The South African draft open science policy is premised on “…the cardinal guiding principle ‘As Open As Possible, As Closed As Necessary’. This principle recognises both the legislative environment, and the critical socio-economic role of intellectual property rights.” The policy intends to make open access mandatory for publications arising from publicly funded research and desirable for research from all sources of funding. Open access benefits authors as well as those who can freely access the research.
“Open Access means more readers, more potential collaborators, more citations for their work, and ultimately more recognition for them and their institution. Open Access means improved access to research for all”
(https://sparceurope.org/what-we-do/open-access/oa-benefits/).
For practical reasons, open access definitions are mutating leading to some confusion. Some people equate open access publishing to predatory publishing. These YouTube clips may be of use in clarifying some of the confusion and making the case for open access:
The beauty of read and publish agreements is that researchers do not have to find a new open access venue to comply with open science policy. These agreements enable researchers from participating institutions to publish in the hybrid journal of their choice without paying article processing charges and without relinquishing copyright. In some agreements, this researcher benefit applies to fully Gold Open Access journals as well.