Archive

An archive is a "place in which collected public or corporate records are kept; a data bank; a repository for documents."
(The new shorter Oxford English dictionary. 1993)

What type of information is available at an archive?

Archives preserve documentation and material from the past for the future. An archive preserves mostly paper-base materials like photographs, original or copied documentation as well as film and sound recordings.

Many companies also have in-house archives where they keep all their historic documents and information that they would like to keep for future references.

Location of national archives

Here are just two examples of national archives.


	INTERNET LINK: if the computer is not linked to the Internet, you will not be able to access these web sites.

	National Archives of South Africa, Head Office		The National Archivist Postal address: Private Bag X236, PRETORIA 0001 Street address: 24 Hamilton Street, Arcadia, PRETORIA Tel: (012) 323 5300 Fax: (012) 323 5287

	Cape Town Archives Repository		The Head Postal address: Private Bag X9025, CAPE TOWN 8000 Street address: 72 Roeland Street, CAPE TOWN Tel: (021) 462 4050 Fax: (021) 465 2960

Other useful links:

The University of Fort Hare has been designated the custodian of the Liberation Movement Archives. These archives of the African National Congress (ANC), the Pan African Congress (PAC), the Black Consciousness Movement (BMC), and many others, reflect the history and development of these organisations as well as the political struggle for democracy in South Africa. These documents can be viewed here.

For more information on the archives in South Africa see National Archives & Record Services (NARS).