A Missed Opportunity: Archival Institutions and Public Sector Reforms

Abstract

This article takes a critical view of archivists in the region, theirconservative interpretation of their mandate, the outdated legislationsunder which they still operate and their failure to make themselvesrelevant within the context of the public sector reforms that have beengoing on for almost two decades. The article tries to demonstrate thatmost of the archival institutions have sidelined themselves in thereform process and to some extent have become irrelevant in theongoing reforms. The article reviews the general response of nationalarchival institutions in Eastern and Southern Africa to the opportunityoffered by the public service reforms to integrate records managementinto the reforms and thus lift its profile and relevance to nationaldevelopment. The article recognizes that there are indeed somecountries in the region that have been able to raise the profile of theirinstitutions and to become relevant to the development of theirnations (notably South Africa), but that such countries are the realexception rather than the rule

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