Question NW628 to the Minister of Arts and Culture

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11 April 2016 - NW628

Profile picture: Matshobeni, Ms A

Matshobeni, Ms A to ask the Minister of Arts and Culture

(1). What (a) has he found to be the cause of the state of decline in quality in our national archives and (b) is he doing to improve the situation which has been degenerating for the past six years with proper filing and recording of our history?

Reply:

1(a). The National Archives has been operating at the same level of professionalism and dedication since 1994. Additional functions have been added to the work of the National Archives. These new services/activities include the provision of access to information in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information (PAIA) Act, Act No 2 of 2000, the implementation of Oral History programmes, the provision of policies, the guidelines, procedures and management of Electronic Records Management and Digitisation programmes.

(b). The National Archives is charged with the responsibility of managing government records through its records management unit and having custody of all national records through the National Archives Repository. The filing plan of the National Archives is up to date and properly implemented.

Through Oral History Programmes and projects implemented by the National Archives in partnership with other stakeholders including the Oral History Association of South Africa (OHASA), the National Archives is systematically recording histories of different communities throughout the country. This is in line with section 3(d) of the National Archives and Records Service Act, Act 43 of 1996 as amended, which refers to the collection of non-public records with enduring value of national significance which cannot be more appropriately preserved by another institution with due regard to the need to document aspects of the nation's experience neglected by archives repositories in the past.

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