National Archives of South Africa (NA) 

Date of tip: 18 April 2011

Source: Jamie Miller jmm97@cam.ac.uk

The National Archives are the most inaccessible of the archives listed under South Africa. The NA has two parallel finding aids. There is a paper catalogue that can be used to look up an archival series (say, the “PM” or Prime Ministerial series) and then order the records listed within it. There is also an electronic catalogue (athttp://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm300dl), which searches for individual files responsive to the given search terms. Neither of these contain a complete list of the records that the NA actually holds. The electronic catalogue in particular is woefully inadequate. One archivist told me, in all earnestness, that it actually yielded different results for the same search depending on the time of day that you accessed it.

Conversation with other researchers made it clear that the NA was regarded as something of a running joke. One of my emails to the National Archives was answered two and a half months later, only to include the response that the staff were too busy to help me with my inquiry. Most of the archivists seemed utterly disinterested in helping the researchers; many (with the notable exception of Gerrit Wagener) appeared to treat my inquiries as an imposition on their valuable socialising time. The result of my research at the NA was that I failed to find even one document of even peripheral importance to my topic.

The NA are located on Hamilton St, in northern Pretoria. Although near the intersection of Soutpansberg St, the NA are not walking distance from the DFA. There is parking available, but there are no food outlets available nearby.

Contact Person: Gerrit Wagener

Email: gerrit.wagener@dac.gov.za

Address: Hamilton Street, just off Soutpansberg St, Pretoria