MBOMBELA – The Provincial Archives and Records Services building located on the R40 is being used by only five staff members and no documents are being stored there, about two years after its completion.
Since 2009 a total of R161 million has been spent on the archive building’s construction. In 2013 an additional R5,6 million was allocated for furniture.
It stands largely empty while the archive system is being phased in. The building looks deserted. Weeds are overgrowing the parking lot. It is eerily quiet. The kitchens and offices are furnished, but it is only on the first floor that life is encountered.
One of the employees who has worked there since January last year, says they have become accustomed to working in the echoing building.
They train government departments, state-owned enterprises and municipalities in records keeping.
Significant documents which are 20 years old or more and which have archival value are meant to be stored on the
premises. According to
Ms Sibongile Nkosi, director of communications for the department of Culture, Sport and Recreation (DCSR) each of the relevant 38 government bodies manages its records according to an approved file plan.
According to the department’s second quarter performance report, 30 record managers from government bodies were trained on the evaluation and disposal of documents in 2014/15. But as of yet no documents have been stored at the facility as the installation of the archive system is still in progress.
“It is only after the installation that documents will be received from clients,” says Nkosi. “Once the archival system is in place, the ideal staff compliment will increase to 32. It must be noted that we are still busy with a phase-in process.”
This is meant to occur in phases and in accordance with the budget. Yet the department largely underspends its budget for archive services.
According to the quarterly reports for the 2014/15 financial year, which ended March 31, the department had only spent R5,8 million of its R17,7 million budget for the year by the end of the third quarter. At the time of going to press the fourth quarter report was not available.
But the department’s Annual Performance Plan for this financial year shows a large increase in funding for computer systems, up to R24 million from R5,3 million last year. This is for the whole department, which is also responsible for library services.
The DA’s Mr Anthony Benadie, MPL, says the party believes that the completion and effective use of the archives building is vital in order to streamline the province’s record-keeping.
“The department is notorious for overspending on capital projects and then seemingly abandoning them. The DA will continue to fight for the archive building to become fully operational and not just another corruption hub disguised as a capital project.”
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