Unisa Archives University of South Africa

History and Founding

The Unisa Archives form part of the Archival and Special Collections division of the University of South Africa (Unisa) Library, located at the Samuel Pauw Building on the Muckleneuk Ridge campus in Pretoria. The University of South Africa traces its institutional history to 1873, when the University of the Cape of Good Hope was established. The Unisa Library came into being in 1946, when Unisa introduced distance teaching. The archives collect and preserve materials documenting the university's own administrative history, as well as broader collections of significance to South African history and culture.

Collections and Holdings

The Unisa Archives' holdings include a rich variety of institutional and externally donated collections:

• Unisa Institutional Archives: Minute books of Unisa's predecessor, the Board of Examiners (1850-1859); archives of the Board of Public Examiners in Literature and Science (1860-1873); and the archives of the University of the Cape of Good Hope (1873-1918).
• United Party Archives: Unisa became the official custodian of the United Party Archives in 1969. These records document the activities of one of South Africa's most significant political parties, which governed for 38 years.
• The Wagener Collection: A collection of approximately 5,000 Africana items bequeathed in 1965 by Pretoria publisher J.L. van Schaik, covering history, language, literature, theology, and art, including rare editions of the First Afrikaans Language Movement.
• The Hesse Collection: German Africana materials including publications, original manuscripts, and archival collections related to the German contribution to South African culture.
• The Cathedrals Collection: Libraries assembled in the 19th and early 20th centuries at the Cathedrals of Bloemfontein and Umtata, with strengths in Anglican and Church Fathers literature.
• Documentation Centre for African Studies: Historical and contemporary materials concerning Black, Coloured, and Indian communities of southern Africa, broadened after 1994 to encompass all population groups.

Access and Usage

The Unisa Archives are located on the second floor of the main library building. Researchers may consult materials in person; access to original documents is by appointment. The archives accept inquiries by phone and email.