Members of the recently held consultative forum discuss some of the issues around archival material
Dec 1, 2008 – The importance of the internet as a digital space to store, source and find archival material was one of the main points that was made at a consultative forum convened by the Nelson Mandela Foundation on Friday.
The forum provided a space for South African institutions having a direct stake in the Nelson Mandela Archive to understand the work of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, ask questions about the Foundation and its work, and offer advice to the Foundation moving forward. The Foundation’s emergent Centre of Memory and Dialogue received close attention, with the heads of the Memory and Dialogue Programmes detailing the conceptual foundations and strategic plans for each. Head of Dialogue, Dr Mothomang Diaho, explained dialogue as a critical aspect of Nelson Mandela’s legacy, as the instrument for taking memory resources into communities, and as the institutional mechanism for making a difference in the world.
The consultative forum was attended by representatives from Ahmed Kathrada Foundation; Alan Paton Centre and Struggle Archives; ANC Archives; Constitution Hill Library; Freedom Park; Human Rights Commission; Imani Media; Liliesleaf Trust; Logos Flow; Luthuli Museum; Mandela House Museum; National Archives of South Africa; National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Nelson Mandela National Museum; SABC News Archives; SABC Sound Archives; South African Democracy Education Trust (SADET); South African History Archive (SAHA); Standard Bank Archives; UCT Manuscripts and Archives; UFH Library Archives; Umlando; UNISA Documentation Centre; Wits Central Records Office; Wits Department of Historical Papers.
Having highlighted the value of the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s website as a resource tool, as well as a medium for providing up-to-date news of the work that’s conducted by the Foundation, a number of points around the use of the online landscape and the process of digitising archival material were raised.
It was felt that going forward the development of technology, with regards to the Nelson Mandela website, was essential, in particular looking at the development of a mobile-friendly website.
It was pointed out that very few South Africans have access to the internet via computers, while the majority of South Africans have access to mobile phones.
“I find the fact that so many South Africans are accessing the internet from their mobiles fascinating,” said Yolisa Soul from the University of Fort Hare Library Archives.
“This is something we all need to take into consideration moving forward,” she added.
Head of Memory Verne Harris discussed the Foundation’s aim to “turn our website into a one-stop shop about Madiba, where people can be directed to the information they are looking for”.
Head of Memory Verne Harris liaises with members of the archival forum
Along with the need for all archival institutions to digitise archival material and make finding aids available online, the forum discussed the issues of missing Rivonia Trial records, restricted access to the archival records of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), and the need for archival institutions in South Africa to come together to share information and resources as well as provide a shared platform from which to lobby government about classified documents.
“The findings of the TRC are an important piece of history, to which the South African public has little access,” said Piers Pigou from the South African History Archive (SAHA). “This is something that clearly needs to be addressed.” With regard to the Rivonia Trial, it was pointed out that there are still valuable archival materials that are not in institutional safekeeping, despite the Oppenheimer family recently handing over some documents to the National Archive (see related story: Mr Mandela witnesses handover of historical collections).
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has provided the Foundation with funding to do an audit of all the Rivonia Trial documents wherever they might be located. The Foundation will be employing someone in 2009 to try to track down the remaining material. The forum indicated willingness to work with the Foundation in support of the audit.
There was concern expressed at the fact that archival organisations are being refused access by the Department of Justice to a vast range of materials that were generated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The majority of South Africans have never seen the findings and recommendations of the TRC.
In addition, it was highlighted that little progress has been made with the processing of TRC records, and that the electronic records have still not been brought into a secure archival domain. There was concern that the latter material could be lost forever unless something is done urgently.