Wits University Research Archives University of the Witwatersrand

About the Digital Platform

The Wits University Research Archives is a multi-institutional digital repository platform operated by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Johannesburg, South Africa. The platform is built on Access to Memory (AtoM), an open-source, fully web-based archival description application based on International Council on Archives (ICA) standards, enabling cross-institutional searching across several major archives.

Constituent Archives and Holdings

The platform aggregates the archival holdings of several major repositories. The primary components include the Historical Papers Research Archive (HPRA), established in 1966 and one of the most comprehensive public archives in Southern Africa with over 3,400 collections; and the South African History Archive (SAHA), which has moved its holdings to Wits. Additional collections include the Barlow World Rand Mines archive, the MEDU Art Ensemble archive, the SACHED Archiving Project, the AFRAPIX photography collection, the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Museum and Learning Centre, and Wits Library Special Collections.

Historical Papers holdings encompass the personal papers of individuals who shaped South Africa's past and present, records of human rights NGOs, trade unions, political parties, women's organizations, political trial transcripts, Anglican Church records, cultural institutions, and photographers. Collections span from the mid-17th century to the present, with particular strengths in anti-Apartheid resistance history and post-1994 South Africa.

Notable Materials

The platform includes notable press-related collections such as the Advance and Bantu World newspaper collections, the AFRAPIX press photography archive, and records from left-wing and labor movement publications. The Wits Library Special Collections holds newspaper clippings and architectural drawing collections among its holdings.

Access and Usage

The digital repository is freely accessible online. Physical access to original archival materials requires registration with the reading room on the Wits campus. Researchers must leave bags and personal items outside the reading room and may use personal computers and digital cameras for documentation.