NATIONAL ARCHIVES ANNUAL REPORT 2004 — 2005 PRESENTATION

NATIONAL ARCHIVES ANNUAL REPORT 2004 - 2005 PRESENTATION TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE: ARTS & CULTURE: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 28 MAY 2008 Dr Graham Dominy National Archivist Department of Arts and Culture

INTRODUCTION • Report is submitted in terms of the National Archives and Records Service Act of South Africa (Act No 43 of 1996 as amended) • The National Archives is an integral part of the Department of Arts and Culture and its PFMA compliance reporting is part of the DAC’s annual report.

FISCAL STATUS OF ARCHIVES ADVISORY COUNCIL • The National Archives Advisory Council is likewise not a public entity and is budgeted for as part of the DAC Programme 6. • As with the Geographical Place Names Committee, secretarial and administrative support is provided departmentally.

FUNCTIONS OF NATIONAL ARCHIVES ITO ACT 43 (1) • Preserve public and non-public records with enduring value • Make such records accessible and promote their use • Ensure proper management and care of all public records • Collect non-public records of national significance of enduring value

FUNCTIONS OF NATIONAL ARCHIVES (2) • Maintain national automated archival information retrieval system (provincial participation) • Maintain national registers of non-public records • Assist, support, set standards and guidelines for provincial archives • Promote awareness • Generally promote preservation and use of a national archival heritage

CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION • “Archives, other than national” are an exclusive provincial legislative competency • The National Archives has therefore transferred the archival services in Bloemfontein; Cape Town; Durban; Pietermaritzburg and Port Elizabeth to the respective provinces

PROBLEMS WITH FUNCTION SHIFT TO PROVINCES (1) • Assignment of archives to provinces is logical from the heritage perspective, but poses serious practical problems: – “Joined up” approach to government information is contradicted – Disputes over transfer of infrastructure jeopardizes safety of collections – Shortage of skills is exacerbated

PROBLEMS OF FUNCTION SHIFT TO PROVINCES (2) • Needs of disadvantaged provinces not addressed: EC; GT; LIM; MP; NC; NWP • Not a single provincial archives has the capacity to provide a fully effective records management service to local authorities • Lack of clarity over archiving of records from regional offices of the Central Government – especially the judicial system

CORPORATE OVERVIEW: pp 8 - 13 • Building SA’s new archives system • Transformation • Supporting transparent and accountable government • International engagement • SA – Mali Project: Timbuktu Manuscripts

PERFORMANCE REPORTS: pp 14 - 39 • • Acquisition, custody & control Arrangement & description Preservation Access and use Public programming Information systems Records management

CORPORATE MANAGEMENT: pp 39 - 45 • • • Organisation Finance Human resources Training Accommodation

NATIONAL ARCHIVES ADVISORY COUNCIL • Advisory Role • Membership • Difficulties in obtaining nominations from provinces

Thank You