Mpho Ngoepe

An assessment of the state of national archival and records systems in the ESARBICA region

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess and compare the current state of archival and records systems in two of ESARBICA member countries, namely South Africa and Botswana.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a qualitative research approach. To draw inferences and make recommendations, a survey was conducted in national and provincial archival institutions of both countries. Secondary data were derived from literature search and primary data from questionnaires.Findings – While archives and records services in both countries do have legislation, they are not being recognised and given status in the government and public arena. Archivists and records managers in either country are still marginalised by state administration. There is no political champion of archives and records management in either country. There is a shortage of funds and staff, accompanied by poor infrastructure and lack of vision by the leaders of archival institutions in both countries. In South Africa, the national ar...

Justice delayed is justice denied

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the cases of “delayed and denied” justice that resulted from a lack of or poor record-keeping in the South African courts and police service with a view to encouraging proper records management. Proper records management plays a significant role in supporting the justice system. Records provide the critical evidence that a particular action or transaction took place and can be used as evidence in a court of law. Without reliable and authentic records, government cannot administer justice and, as a result, offenders can be set free while the victims are denied justice. Design/methodology/approach – Utilising content analysis, this study extracted print media articles (2000-2012) relating to the “records and justice system” from the South African Media database, which is one of the databases hosted by the South African Bibliographic and Information Network. The study selected cases reported in the media to conduct follow-up interviews with a policeman, l...

Archival orthodoxy of post-custodial realities for digital records in South Africa

Abstract Some public entities in South Africa have implemented digital records systems over a period of 20 years. In terms of the South African archival legal framework, there is a need for such entities to transfer the records into archival custody. However, there is consensus among researchers that there is no infrastructure to ingest digital records into archival custody in South Africa. Furthermore, some public entities have migrated from one system to another since implementation and there is a possibility that records might have been lost during migration. This study demonstrates through literature review the unconscious archival orthodoxy of post-custodial realities in South Africa. The study recommends that public entities should apply for exemption from archival legislation in order to develop an interim solution for the preservation of digital records. The National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA) is also encouraged to develop a policy on distributed custody to allow government entities to create interim solutions for preserving digital records. Both public entities and NARSSA should invest in capacity development, including training and provision of sustainable infrastructure required to preserve digital records. It is hoped that this study will influence policy-making with regard to custody of digital records.

Records management models in the public sector in South Africa Is there a flicker of light at the end of the dark tunnel

Records management models play a significant role in the provision of records management services in organizations. However, many governmental bodies design records management programmes without taking into consideration the models appropriate for implementation. This study investigated records management models adopted by the public sector in South Africa, with a view to developing a model that can be customized by governmental bodies in the implementation of records management. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaires distributed electronically to records management practitioners in governmental bodies. The study revealed that governmental bodies in South Africa apply general records management principles without customizing them or addressing the challenges they are facing. It is argued that, because each organization is unique in its make-up, culture, goals and management style, effective records management cannot be obtained by copying other organizations’ records management programmes. The study proposes a model that governmental bodies can customize in the implementation of records management.

Managing Digital Heritage - an Analysis of the Education and Training Curriculum for Africa's Archives and Records Professionals

The education and training of archives and records professionals in Africa can be traced back several decades. Archives and records practitioners in Africas different countries have, over the years, taken varying paths to attain their professional qualifications. A number of publications have offered an analysis of the historical developments. This paper outlines progress on an ongoing study by InterPARES Trust Africa Team that examines the curricula in different Africaneducational institutions and investigates the extent to which they address the increasingly complex environment that includes the management of digital records in networked environments. It is hoped that the study will inform curriculum development and review in the area of digital records at the institutions of higher learning in Africa.

Deployment of open source electronic content management software in national government departments in South Africa

Purpose – This paper aims to report the deployment of open source electronic content management software in national government departments in South Africa, with the view to raise awareness of the free and open source software (FOSS) policy. Many countries including South Africa have developed policies that encourage the deployment of free and open source software (FOSS). Design/methodology/approach – The paper opted for qualitative data collected through interviews with four chief information officers, five information technology (IT) officials, two records managers from government departments, one archivist from the National Archives of South Africa and one IT official from the State Information Technology Agency; these were selected purposively from national government departments. Furthermore, a free test trial of open source software, Alfresco Community Edition, was conducted for a 30-day period during September 2013. Alfresco was chosen as it is the preferred FOSS in government departments in South ...

Provisions for managing and preserving records created in networked environments in the archival legislative frameworks of selected member states of the Southern African Development Community

Abstract In most states in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the national archives acts were enacted shortly after independence and modelled closely on British archival legislation. These acts were mostly written with paper records in mind, while being silent on records that appear in other media such as microfilm, audiovisual and electronic. This study provides a qualitative content analysis of archival legislation to assess the extent to which provision is made for the management and preservation of records created in networked environments in selected countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania Zambia, and Zimbabwe) in the SADC region. The key finding suggests that while the archival legislation in South Africa makes provision for the management of electronic records, the pieces of legislation for the other countries are silent on this issue. Furthermore, all the pieces of legislation are silent on whether electronic records can be admissible as evidence in a court of law. The study recommends that the SADC should consider adding a legal instrument in the form of a protocol treaty on archival legislation and designing a model law or statute on electronic records management and preservation to be customised by member states.

Research collaboration in the archives and records management field across and beyond universities in Africa : an informetric analysis

Due to technological developments, innovation and globalisation, research is becoming more complex, requiring wide-ranging skills. A lack of resources and publishing platforms has led to low research output in archives and records management (ARM) in most developing countries in Africa. However, experienced researchers from different countries can collaborate by sharing and transferring knowledge and making optimal use of resources that will lead to the sustainability of research output. Utilising informetrics analysis, as well as co-authorship as the measure for collaboration, this article examines the nature, trend and type of ARM research collaboration in Africa by identifying individuals, institutions and countries that collaborate in order to recommend ways of improving such activities. Quantitative data was extracted from the database of African Journals Online (AJOL) and analysed. The key finding suggested a low level of collaboration among ARM researchers, with the work produced emanating mostly from one institution. The study argues that social and physical proximity contribute to research collaboration in ARM in Africa. The scarcity of literature on ARM in Africa led the article to recommend more collaborative projects whereby established researchers nurture and mentor novice researchers to become self-sustainable in producing scholarly literature. Hopefully, this would help to formulate research agendas to address grand societal challenges, such as a lack of accountability, poor audit results and poor service delivery, which all stem from a breakdown in the records system and a non-sustainable ARM profession in Africa, in order to become on par with the rest of the world.

Convenience and accessibility of library services to students with disabilities at the University of Limpopo in South Africa

Students with disabilities require special convenient access to library services as compared to the general student population. Despite the special needs requirements, there is consensus among researchers that access to library services by students with disabilities is not yet fully available, especially in countries in the global periphery. This study utilised quantitative data collected through questionnaires directed to 92 disabled students registered for the 2013 academic year, an interview with the librarian responsible for the disabled students unit and observation using the IFLA checklist for access to libraries for disabled people to evaluate the convenience and accessibility of library services for students with disabilities at the University of Limpopo in South Africa. Even though the study established that a purpose-built library service unit for students with disabilities that complies with international best practice was in place, students with disabilities were not adequately satisfied with the library services they received as very few library materials had been transcribed into accessible formats. The situation was compounded by the fact that only one librarian was assigned to manage and run the library services for the disabled. The study recommends that the university should hire more librarians to assist students with disabilities in the audio-braille library. It is hoped that the study will stimulate policy makers to include students with disabilities in information access and collection development policies. A further study on the needs and academic progress assessment of students with one group of disabilities is recommended.

A framework to embed records management into the auditing process in the public sector in South Africa

Audit reports issued by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) yearly indicate that poor record-keeping is one of the contributing factors to disclaimer audit opinions in the public sector. Despite this, records management is often not considered or used as an essential element to facilitate an effective auditing process in the public sector in South Africa. Utilizing the auditing process of AGSA as a conceptual framework, this study sought to develop a framework to embed records management practices into the auditing process in the public sector in South Africa, with a view to reduce findings on record-keeping in the audit reports. Literature review was conducted to demonstrate the relationship between records management and auditing. The study suggests a framework that can assist governmental bodies in managing records effectively throughout the application of an auditing process that includes records management at all stages and within specific contexts of the organization. It is hoped that such a framework will help governmental bodies in South Africa towards obtaining clean audit reports.