Records Management

The National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act (Act No.43 of 1996 as amended)provides the legal framework according to which the National Archives and Records Service regulates the records management practices of all governmental bodies. In accordance with Section 13 of the Act the Records Management Division -
 
  • investigates and approves the prescribed records classification systems before implementation to ensure that these systems satisfy the requirements of accountability and transparency;
  • examines public records with a view to issuing disposal authorities on all public records to enable governmental bodies to dispose of records no longer required for functional purposes;
  • determines the conditions subject to which records can be microfilmed or electronically reproduced to ensure that the requirements for archival preservation are addressed timeously;
  • determines the conditions subject to which electronic records systems should be managed to ensure that sound records management practices are applied to electronic records systems from the design phase onwards;
  • inspects public records to ensure that governmental bodies comply with the requirements of the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act;
  • issues directives and instructions as to the management and care of public records in the custody of governmental bodies; and
  • provides training to records managers, senior administrative officials, training officials, work study officials and registry heads with a view to teaching the basics of records management and explaining the National Archives and Records Service's role in promoting efficient records management.