Records were originally created for the use of transactional evidence. By preserving records, institutions like universities and the National Archives seek to preserve our past and to make better decisions for the future, says Meniko Records Management Services.
According to the National Archives: "Public archives such as the National Archives and Records Service is therefore a special resource for dealing with the social memory of our nation and with protecting people's rights in our country. It is a major resource for fostering a national identity."
As has been noted by the Auditor-General (AGSA) and South African Human Rights Commission, South African records-keeping could do with some improvement. The current public archives are not equipped to handle records management support. According to a report entitled The State of Archives: An Analysis of South Africa's National Archival System 2014, by the Archival Platform, "poor record-keeping undermines service-delivery, cripples accountability and creates environments in which corruption thrives." So, the question has now been put forward: how do we go about safeguarding our public records?
What does the law say?
According to the 1996 Archives Act, South Africa has an obligation and duty to manage and take care of all public records. To "preserve public and non-public records" and to "make such records accessible and promote their use by the public." Much had been done regarding record-keeping when the notion was conceptualised in the early 1990s, however, according to the report "the hopes of that period have not been realised." The system has deteriorated so much to the point that it is in trouble. But this is not the only predicament our records are currently in.
Political unrest threatens the safeguard of our records
Given recent student clashes at universities, and the fact that students might feel the need to burn down schools whilst protesting, important information is at risk of burning along with these buildings since citizens have shown according to the Daily Maverick, "little to no compunction about destroying the country's official records." Just recently, students torched a building at the University of Fort Hare. Computers and maintenance tools were among the items that got destroyed.
How electronic records management can be of assistance
Electronic records management is the answer to all these concerns. The system is not reliant on hardware, therefore in the unfortunate event that computers are reduced to ash in a deliberate fire, precious archives will not be lost. Without your files backed up, disaster recovery is next to impossible. Archives can be made available to the public, but at the same time records that are non-public and for eyes of authoritative personnel only can be kept secure.
How we can protect the country's archives
Using electronic records management significantly reduces the wear and tear on paper records, because when a file is needed you do not have to access the hard copy every time, you access the digital version instead. The cost associated with searching for lost files or replacing them completely is scary to say the least, but your files will never be misplaced again. The system also allows for easy compliance with regards to government and ISO standards. This is thanks to the security controls, audit trails, archiving and disaster recovery capabilities. For more information regarding your electronic records management compliance download our guide to document retention.
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