The role of the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa in human rights promotion and protection

Abstract

The archival landscape in South Africa is undergoing transformation necessitated by the democratic system prevailing in the country. In light of this, many institutions are positioning themselves to contribute more extensively to the human rights movement. NARS is one such institution that has been assimilated into the democratisation of the country and is instrumental in human rights promotion and protection equipped with the indispensable value of archival materials. However, despite the weight attached to NARS as an important player in the human rights landscape the institution experiences a number of challenges which include absence of a dedicated budget for records and archives operations, low awareness of its role in fostering indigenous people’s rights, space constraints, political influence and resistance by citizens to participate in oral history programmes. These challenges result in the impairment of accountability mechanisms, proliferation of corruption and fraud, miscarriage of justice and misrepresentation of corporate and national memory. The research was premised on the assumption that there are inconsistencies in the core archival functions of acquisition, appraisal and access provision. The research was conducted within a qualitative paradigm, utilising a case study research design. The study contends that because NARS is accorded minimal attention by the government its operations have been crippled to the extent that it has been relegated to the periphery and its contribution to the human rights movement has been reduced.