managing electronic records in governmental bodies - National ...

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The National Archives and Records Service’s electronic records management
programme is aligned with the regulatory requirements of the State Information
Technology Agency (SITA), the Department of Public Service and Administration
(DPSA) and the Government IT Officers’ Council (GITOC) and is built on the
following four-pronged strategy:
- Archival involvement in the design and maintenance of electronic records
management systems. Archivists cannot, as they can in the paper
environment, rely on their capacity to pick up the pieces when records are no
longer required by their creators. The National Archives and Records Service
of South Africa Act allows the National Archives and Records Service to insist
that mechanisms and procedures be put in place to ensure that archival
records are identified while still functional and then preserved appropriately.
To this end the National Archives and Records Service requires that
electronic correspondence systems should be managed with electronic
records management applications and that structured and legacy systems
be managed with a schedule for electronic records systems as an
instrument for obtaining disposal authority and use as a disposal schedule.
- The earliest possible transfer into archival custody of electronic records with
enduring value. In terms of the National Archives and Records Service of
South Africa Act, 1996, governmental bodies are only obliged to transfer
archival records into archival custody when they reach 20 years of age. The
National Archivist is however empowered to determine shorter transfer
periods when appropriate. This shortened transfer period applies to electronic
records.
- The identification of archival electronic records which should remain in the
custody of the creating body. Circumstances in which this approach might be
considered include the following: where the cost of transfer into archival
custody is prohibitive; where technical considerations like data complexity and
software copyright raise insuperable barriers; where the creating body,
because of its facilities and/or the nature of the record, is best positioned to
provide archival user services; or where statutory provisions exist which
prevent transfer to archival custody. The National Archives and Records
Service of South Africa Act, as amended specifically empowers the National
Archivist to make such an arrangement with creating bodies.
- The identification of non-archival electronic records that can be disposed of as
part of an offices’ normal administrative practice. Most electronic systems for
which disposal authority has been applied to date, do not possess archival
value, while systems that might have archival value are seldom reported. To
attempt to streamline matters, two general disposal authorities authorising the
destruction of ephemeral electronic records have been prepared. (See
Annexures D and E). These general disposal authorities enable governmental
bodies to dispose of electronic records that do not have archival value without
specifically applying for disposal authority, so that the focus can be placed
Managing electronic records_Policy Guidelines.doc
First Edition
Version 1.1
April 2003