Assessing the Appraisal, Disposal and Transfer of Records from 1994 to 2014: The Case of Mpumalanga Provincial Government in South Africa

Abstract

This study was conceptualised in order to assess the appraisal, disposal and transfer of archival records from the Mpumalanga Provincial Government (MPG) to the Mpumalanga Provincial Archives (MPA) for the period from 1994 to 2013. The study’s specific objective was to investigate the transfer process of archival records in terms of the Mpumalanga Archives Act, No. 14 of 1998. The study used a qualitative method through document analysis, interviews and observation. The sample for the study comprised the MPG and municipality records managers. The Mpumalanga provincial archivists were also interviewed as the custodians of the MPA. The key findings revealed that the MPG and the municipality did not comply with the Mpumalanga Archives Act, No. 14 of 1998 in terms of transferring records with archival value to the MPA as stipulated by the act. This has adverse implications for efficient administration of records in the country.