The South African Personality Inventory (SAPI) was initiated in 2005 and developed over a period of nine years (2005-2014). The construction of this personality inventory was initiated by Prof. Deon Meiring, Prof Fons van de Vijver, Prof Ian Rothmann and Prof Deon de Bruin and was carried out by a team of student scholars (Masters & Doctral) coming from various Universities across South Africa. The SAPI was constructed by adopting a combined etic-emic approach (indigenous convergent) - approach that takes into account both universal and cultural-specific aspects of the eleven language groups (Afrikaans, English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, isiNdebele, Tshivenda, Xitsonga) personalities as found in South Africa. The goal of the research team, when developing the SAPI, was to construct an inventory that is relevant to the South African multi-cultural context, and would meet legislative requirements - Employment Equity Act (1998), Section 8, (a), (b), (c), & (d) and scientific psychometric standard expected of established assessment instruments; in order to provide the South African society with a reliable, valid, and useful personality measure.

Main Collaborators