Media Release:  GRDM Annual Records Clean-Up project underway

For Immediate Release
30 May 2023

The Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Record and Archive Section has commenced with its annual Records Clean-up Project, aimed at ensuring compliance with the Archives legislation. The project will end at the end of July 2023 with the assistance of three (3) EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme) employees.

During the previous records clean-up project, significant findings were made, particularly regarding records from Hessequa Municipality. These records will be transferred on 23 May 2023 to Hessequa, to ensure their proper preservation and accessibility.

A comprehensive review of qualifying financial and other records will be conducted in accordance with the approved Records Control Schedule, according to Spasiena Brinkhuys, Manager: Records, Archives, Fleet & Auxiliary Services. This process aims to streamline the organisation’s recordkeeping practices, ensuring only relevant and necessary information is retained.

“In line with our commitment to effective records management, A20 records from the previous South Cape District Council will be transferred to the repository in Cape Town before the end of June. This relocation will enhance accessibility and archival integrity, while optimizing space within our existing facilities,” Brinkhuys said.

All financial records in all other storerooms will be transferred to the registry office to accommodate the influx of the latest records. The relocation will create additional storage space for the organization’s current records and make retrieval and storage easier.

Leading this vital project is Mr Akhona Mxutu, who brings extensive experience in records management and a deep understanding of archival practices. Mr Mxutu’s leadership and expertise will be invaluable in successfully accomplishing the goals of the project.

AFRIKAANS

Die Tuinroete Distriksmunisipaliteit (TDM) se Rekord- en Argiefafdeling het onlangs met die jaarlikse rekordopruimingsprojek begin, wat daarop gemik is om aan die vereistes van die Argiefwetgewing te voldoen. Die projek sal op 31 Julie 2023 eindig en word met die hulp van drie (3) Uitgebreide Openbare Werke werknemers gedoen.

Tydens die vorige rekordskoonmaakprojek is belangrike bevindinge gemaak, veral rakende rekords van Hessequa Munisipaliteit. Hierdie rekords was op 23 Mei 2023 na Hessequa oorgedra om behoorlike bewaring en toeganklikheid daarvan te verseker.

’n Omvattende hersiening van kwalifiserende finansiële en ander rekords sal volgens die goedgekeurde Rekordbeheerskedule uitgevoer word, volgens Spasiena Brinkhuys, Bestuurder: Rekords, Argiewe, Vloot en Hulpdienste. Hierdie proses het ten doel om die organisasie se rekordhoudingspraktyke te verbeter, om te verseker dat slegs relevante en nodige inligting behou word.

“In ooreenstemming met ons verbintenis tot doeltreffende rekordbestuur, sal A20-rekords van die vorige Suid-Kaapse Distriksraad voor die einde van Junie na die bewaarplek in Kaapstad oorgedra word. Hierdie verskuiwing sal toeganklikheid en argiefintegriteit verbeter, terwyl ruimte binne ons bestaande fasiliteit geoptimaliseer word,” het Brinkhuys gesê.

ISIXHOSA

ICandelo leRekhodi no Londolozo lweeNkcukacha eziBalulekileyo likaMasipala weSithili saseGarden Route (i-GRDM) sele liqalisile ngeNkqubo yokuCoca iiRekhodi zonyaka, ejolise ekuqinisekiseni ukuthotyelwa kwemithetho yooVimba. Le nkqubo iza kuphela ekupheleni kwenyanga yeKhala ku-2023 ngoncedo lwabasebenzi abathathu (3) be-EPWP (iNkqubo eYandisiweyo yeMisebenzi kaRhulumente).

“Ngokuhambelana nokuzibophelela kwethu kulawulo olusebenza ngeerekhodi, iirekhodi ze-A20 zeBhunga langaphambili leSithili soMzantsi Koloni ziya kukhutshelwa kwindawo yogcino-zincwadi eKapa phambi kokuphela kwenyanga yeSilimela.

Okufudukiswa kuya kuphucula ukufikeleleka kunye nesidima soovimba, ngelixa sikhulisa indawo kumaziko ethu asele ekhona, utshilo uBrinkhuys.

Zonke iirekhodi zemali ezikuwo onke amanye amagumbi ogcino ziya kuthunyelwa kwi-ofisi yobhaliso ukwenzela ukulungiselela ukungena kweerekhodi zamvanje. Ukufuduswa kuya kudala indawo yokugcina eyongezelelweyo yeerekhodi zangoku zikaMasipala kwaye wenze ukubuyiswa nokugcinwa kube lula.

Samkelo Gladile, Jasthan Meduna, and Emilio Botha have been appointed to assist with the Records Clean-up Project. They were selected based on their skills and experience in records management and archiving.

DID YOU KNOW?  Why records cannot be stored paperless, but digital?

There are many benefits to going paperless, such as increased efficiency, convenient transfers of information, and upgraded security, but many agencies lack familiarity with digital document management systems. Because the digital government transformation is still relatively new, some may be unaware of electronic records management best practices. In order to best serve citizens and get the most out of going paperless beyond the environmental benefits, government agencies should familiarise themselves with electronic file management best practices. Here, we’ll be identifying and summarising five electronic records management best practices for local governments to follow.

Track and Record the Data that Means the Most.

The first of these electronic file management best practices is fairly obvious–of course you’re going to pay special attention to documents with the most sensitive and important data–but that doesn’t make it any less crucial to a good electronic document and records management system.

This is probably the most important of these electronic records management best practices for governments considering all the information and data they have on citizens, local businesses and their own agency that should be kept private and confidential.

Ensure these kinds of files are kept safe and secure by tracking where they are located, who accesses them, when they get accessed, and what edits are made.

Create an Optimized Records Management Strategy

All agencies should have a records management plan that is clear and effectively communicated to staff. This strategy should also be as simple and straightforward as possible since the ecosystem of information architecture, data structures, and procedures and processes can be quite overwhelming.

A records management strategy should be constructed in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and incorporate other electronic file management best practices.

Ensure All Data is Accurate and Kept Up to Date

This is perhaps another one of the more obvious electronic records management best practices, but definitely something your agency should consider. Not only will this ensure important information and data is always up to date, but it will help keep your agency on top of properly archiving and disposing of files when the time comes.

Electronic management systems make this easy to do since specific files can be quickly found, downloaded, and edited within minutes without the need to search through file cabinets and scan a copy.

Transfer Physical Records to Digital Ones

Your agency may have already turned many of your physical records into digital ones, and while it can be a time-consuming process, electronic file management best practices suggest you digitize everything.

This will help your agency make operational tasks more efficient and ensure that down the line you won’t be scrambling to find the paper copy of a file that was never scanned and uploaded to the system.

Review Policies and Audit Frequently

However stringent you may be with your adoption of electronic records management best practices, it’s smart to review them with staff and conduct audits to ensure all documents are where they should be and that only those who need access have it.

Electronic records management best practices recommend your agency do annual reviews to assess your compliance with necessary standards and legislation. These audits will also give you valuable information on how you can become more efficient.

https://govos.com/blog/electronic-records-management-best-practices/

Join the Western Cape Archives and Records Service and the KwaZulu-Natal Archives for an online presentation on Archiving Oral History on Monday 5 June 2023, 10:00-11:30, during National Archives Awareness Week. The KwaZulu-Natal Archives Oral History unit has recorded and preserved oral histories since 2012 to address past imbalances in the written records and ensure that researchers are able to understand the history of KwaZulu-Natal. They will share their new AV Channel (www.kznarchives.gov.za) and discuss how they have addressed issues surrounding digital databases and oral history. To receive the link, sign up here: https://forms.gle/TjKBYTaZjXujWTHXA