Since 1989, Professor Groenewald has been the Vice-Chairman of the Sepedi Language Board and a member of the general management. He also became the first Chief Editor of the South African Journal of African Languages, and during his term as editor, the journal was accepted as an accredited journal by the Bureau for Scientific Publications. Professor Groenewald served on the advisory panel of the Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century (New York) and also wrote the overview of the development of Sepedi literature.

Professor Groenewald often served as an examiner of undergraduate and postgraduate work for various universities. Numerous students have obtained their master’s degrees and doctorates under his guidance. His translation of OK Metsepe's Megokgo ya Bjoko into Afrikaans was published in 1988. He has published a great number of articles concerning language and literature, and his four monographs on Sepedi literature were published during the nineties. Professor Groenewald received the Stals Prize (African Languages) of the South African Academy for Science and Art in 1996.