National Archives and Records Service of South Africa NARSSA

Overview

The National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA) is the statutory national archives authority of the Republic of South Africa. Headquartered in Pretoria, NARSSA is responsible for preserving the national archival heritage, managing government records, and promoting transparent and accountable governance through effective records administration.

History and Founding

The origins of South Africa's national archive date to 1887, when the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (South African Republic) appointed officials to collect, arrange, and bind official records. The first archivist was appointed in 1899. At the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, a unified archival function was established. The current institution was formally constituted by the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act (Act No. 43 of 1996), which transformed the former State Archives Service into NARSSA with a mandate, mission, and structure reflecting the post-apartheid democratic order. With the restructuring of government in 1994, NARSSA became a programme under the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology. It is currently a programme of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Collections and Holdings

NARSSA maintains archival repositories in Pretoria and Cape Town, with other provincial archival functions devolved to respective provincial legislatures. Holdings include paper-based textual records, electronic records, audiovisual and photographic materials, and cartographic collections. Rock paintings attributed to the San and Khoikhoi peoples are among the notable heritage items. The National Film, Video and Sound Archives (NFVSA), a subdirectorate of NARSSA located in Pretoria, holds extensive audiovisual holdings with a broad mandate to collect film, video, and sound material made in or about South Africa.

Access and Usage

NARSSA's reading rooms are open to researchers with proper identification. Government bodies are required by law to transfer records to the national or provincial archives according to prescribed schedules. NARSSA mounts exhibitions and participates in public outreach programs in collaboration with its component units.