The future of access to private archives? Public–private partnership in South African archives

Purpose This study aims to assess the role of the National Archives of South Africa (NARSSA) in promoting the preservation and management of private archives. Design/methodology/approach This study used the qualitative method, and data was collected through unstructured questionnaires and interviews. In addition, purposive sampling was used to collect data from the selected archivist. Findings The study found that the NARSSA raised awareness on the preservation of private archives and is also in the process of reviewing the National Archives and Records Service Act 43 of 1996 to promote the preservation and management of private archives. The study also revealed that the role of the NARSSA in enforcing compliance with Section 14 of the National Archives and Records Service Act 43 of 1996 for the proper management and coordination of private archives was ineffective because of a lack of coordination, infrastructure, training and development. Research limitations/implications The qualitative data was obtained from three participants with the NARSSA and two selected from private archives. The sample is small to generalise results. The public–private cooperation in archives management is limited, and this is proved by the severely limited number of participants in the research. Furthermore, the private archive in this study is limited to the liberation movement archives institutions in South Africa. Practical implications This study could work as a stimulus for potential approaches to conduct further research on the possible kinds of cooperation between private–public archival organisations. Social implications The study is innovative, in that there are very few research investigations that focused on the cooperation between private and public archives in the African region and especially in South Africa. Originality/value The article makes a significant contribution to the area of private–public archival organisations, especially in South Africa. It will expand the knowledge on private–public archive cooperation and management in South Africa and the rest of the African continent.