One of the main reasons for preserving archival records is to ensure that they are made available for use. In terms of South Africa's archival legislation, any member of the public has a right of access to archives that are older than twenty years, free of charge. Exceptions to this rule are discussed under Access to Sensitive Archival Records.

Archivists perform professional processing of records acquired to promote intellectual control over their contents, so that they may be consulted efficiently by users in our Reading Room. During processing, various finding aids are prepared, including indexing of references to records on the National Database which can be accessed by clicking on the Search the Collecton button on the Home page. More detailed information about gaining access to and using archives are provided when you click on either the General Research or the Genealogical Research button at the bottom of this page.