Records management at the University of Johannesburg - report on a seminar

I had the good fortune to attend a seminar at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) titled:
Case study on the implementation of Records Management at a merged higher education institution.
It was organised by the Department of Information and Knowledge Management at UJ (Kingsway Campus).

Quote from the original invite:

"As part of the corporate governance strategy at the University of Johannesburg, access to information is the management of paper and electronic records within a secure environment.  Technology provides the tool to capture, manage and access content and to provide a workable retention schedule for paper and electronic records. The methodology developed includes a phased-in approach with the focus on legislative compliance, business processes and change management principles. This required compliance with the Promotion of Access to Information Act on the one hand and the Protection of Personal Information bill whilst complying with King III directives."

The seminar was presented by Elize de Wet, Director Corporate Governance at UJ, with assistance by Nicolette Olivier, Records Manager at UJ.

The records management process was started two years back at UJ. It had to incorporate the merged higher education institutions of all the campuses now falling under the banner of the University of Johannesburg.

Interesting points mentioned at the seminar:

• They discovered very early on that the implementation of a records management  constitute a Change Management process, and had to handle it accordingly.
• They had to use a phased-in approach.
• There is not one recipe for everything in records management. They had to look at the business of the different departments and sections and what business they subscribes to.
• The paper records must drive the system, and not the other way round.
• The appointment of a business administrator as well as a business analyst are very important for the process.
• The most interesting point to me was the fact that they assigned categories to disciplines and then to the types of documents. The feeling is that the focus should have been on the types of documents, and not on the disciplines as point of departure.
• Metrofile store their paper records off-site, which saves a lot of money in terms of space and storage,  and is accessible within a few hours when requested.

The records management system is now "just a click away...", and they have buy-in from most of the stake-holders.

The proof is in the pudding: Their records are available on-line, immediate, and a paper trial can be accessed  electronically for most of the records, especially since some of it (like student records) need to be kept for life!


Blog post by Karen du Toit, Sound Archivist, SABC Radio Archives.

Interview with a Librarian/Archivist at SABC Platfontein

Moshe Maghundu

This interview is a continuance of a series of blog posts to gain a better understanding of the SABC Media Libraries and what we do in the different sections that we belong to.

We are also doing interviews with the regions as well.

The regions are doing things on a different scale, and sometimes they are multi-skilling on a daily basis, such as Moshe Maghundu, Librarian AND Archivist at SABC Platfontein.


Moshe, please tell us a little bit about yourself. (Where you grew up, where and what you studied and your work experience before you joined SABC Platfontein)

My name is Moshe and my surname is Maghundu. My parents call me Kxoegoe, a typical San name. I grew up in the Republic of Namibia and I went to school while in Namibia till grade 12. 
I continued my studies in Windhoek where I studied Theology at an institution called NETS (Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminar). I completed my Bachelor in Theology in four years.


While in South Africa, I got training at UNISA and I worked for the Linguistic department as a researcher in linguistics to the !un and Khwe languages of Platfontein. 
I worked with a video camera recording different stories of the San. I had to burn it on a DVD and transcribe/translate the exact story to English. The final product was sent to UNISA for further usage. 
That was my first work experience.

Please tell us more about SABC Platfontein. 


SABC Platfontein-X-K fm has staff members from two of our communities, the !xun and Khwe. We have 8 deejays; 4 !xun and 4 Khwe to enjoy equal coverage. In addition to that, the station broadcasts in Afrikaans as well and cover news in languages spoken in South Africa.
We have two programme producers for SABC education. Our programme coordinator is a man and a !xun and our station manager is woman and from the Khwe community.
The radio station X-K fm is outside of Kimberley; 7km from Kimberley to the direction of Barkley west and we are in the Northern Cape.

Please tell us about a normal day in your office. What library or archival jobs do you give priority to?

My daily duties in this office are very hectic because I have two demanding jobs.


Library: 
Deejays and the compilers come to borrow CDs.  
I have to issue out and return these CDs daily.
 I receive CDs from JHB which I have to capture or add shelf numbers on to the system and barcode them. 
I have to return these CDs to their shelves and make sure that they are available and accessible. 


Sound archives:
 I get recorded DVDs of preselected radio programmes from main control.
 I have to edit the archive audio and burn it onto a CDR, as well as design cover labels. 
The next step is the capturing [Cataloguing] of the information of these CDs on NDMP (Natural Document Management).
I do video recordings as well. If there is a historical event that happens here I record and keep it for heritage and archival purposes.


Recently I have started collecting the San instruments, their art work and even drums for the archive. 
This work is not specified in my job description, but I have realised that it is equally important as keeping the audiovisual heritage, for our elders are dying and these things might become extinct.

Tell us more about your collection and the scope of material you need to preserve in the library/archives.

I mentioned most already, but at the moment I’m busy with sound archives (audio).

Do you struggle with technical difficulties, and if so, what?

I have in my office the SABC Record Library computer, the archive computer with WaveLab software for sound editing and NDM for cataloguing. Attached to it are the audio mixer and Dalet (Digital Audio System) which I manage well. 
My previous studies helped me a lot, and SABC gives training to be able to be very useful and productive in all that I do.

If you have an anecdote about a specific piece of interesting information, please share it with us. 

One thing I have discovered about myself during my days with the SABC is the fact that the SABC is making me multi-talented. 
I have to go out with my colleagues on outside broadcasts (OBs). I do musical recordings here at the station. When we experience a power failure and the generator fails, I have to help them out by fixing the problem. 
When there is a Dalet problem, I run around helping the presenters /producers. I even assist with small problems with the computers.
 I never got IT training, but my background studies at college helps me with it.

Tell us why you enjoy doing the work that you do. 

One good reason why I enjoy the work I’m doing, is that I like very challenging work. The fact that music and broadcasting has always been my passion since childhood and finding me working for the department of my dreams is like a dream coming true!
That is why I am doing all that I am doing for the SABC.


Questions and blog post by Karen du Toit, SABC Radio Archives.

Pops Mohamed Music Project for the San at SABC Platfontein

Pops Mohamed in the SABC Platfontein studio

Moshe Maghundu, Librarian/Archivist at SABC Platfontein, reports about the Pops Mohamed Music Project.

Pops Mohamed is a local South African musician championing the African music culture through the use of indigenous African musical instruments.

Pops Mohamed being interviewed

"Update on the good things that are happening here at SABC Platfontein:

The studio at SABC Platfontein

We started with a music project with Pops Mohamed. He is training us on how to use the studio system to produce music tracks to record the culture and music of the San people.

It is like a dream coming true. 

I remember Rena and me running around to look for a sponsorship for the local upcoming artists of Platfontein to have a studio where they can record their own music.

Pops Mohamed answered the call. 

We have a studio facilities today and I believe that our music [music of the San] will soon be available.

We were able to record a track was composed the same day. I personally loved the mixing part. 

 It is wonderful to see the impact an individual can have in a person's life.

The San has access to music facilities in order to tell the rest of South Africa our own stories through music.

I am so inspired through everything Pops Mohamed is doing for our community, and it’s my prayer that the Almighty will use him to bring development among the voiceless." 

SABC Bloemfontein exhibition for World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

Mieta Motlhabane from the SABC in Bloemfontein reports about their participation in the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage. 

The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage brings awareness and importance of audiovisual collections. 

It allows us not only to appreciate watching and listening to our audiovisual collections more importantly, it tells us about who we are. 

The theme of this year was "Hear, See and Learn".

Itumeleng Maruping and Zoleka Ndamase with Miete Motlhabane

The exhibition featured the SABC's transition and migration of broadcasting technology. It amazed and intrigued the exhibition visitors. 

Related posts:

Storify: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2011 at the SABC

SABC Platfontein celebrated World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 

Storify: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2011 at the SABC

Storify: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage at the SABC

The SABC celebrated World Day for Audiovisual Heritage on 27th Oct 2011 by hosting a traveling exhibition from ILAM called “For Future Generations – Hugh Tracey and the International Library of African Music". The exhibition was up from 5 - 28th October in Auckland Park. 


The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage culminated in a lunch-time concert on 27 October  by Pops Mohamed. Pops Mohamed is a South African musician who promotes our cultural African music tradition by promoting African music with the traditional musical instruments on a modern platform. He says he is on a "mystical African music journey". 


The SABC participation in World Day for Audiovisual heritage was compiled in a Storify with all the relevant posts, updates and tweets about the day, and to highlight the importance of our audiovisual heritage.

Quote from Unesco World Day for Audiovisual heritage:

Sound recordings and moving images are extremely vulnerable as they can be quickly and deliberately destroyed. Essentially emblematic of the 20th century, audiovisual heritage can be irretrievably lost as a result of neglect, natural decay and technological obsolescence. Public consciousness of the importance of preservation of these recordings must be engaged and the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is intended to be the platform for building global awareness.

Some cellphone photos of the Pops Mohamed concert on the 27th Oct.

Pops Mohamed at the lunch-time concert at SABC

Pops Mohamed serenading Florence Moshatana on the mbira

Pops Mohamed playing the kora

Related posts:

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage - 27/10/2011
ILAM Travelling exhibition at the SABC 
SABC Platfontein celebrated World Day for Audiovisual Heritage


Blog post & Storify by Karen du Toit, Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives.

SABC Platfontein celebrated World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

Opening: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

Principal !Xunkhwesa Combined:

Jomo Jonkers

SABC Platfontein, which is the home of X-K Fm, the local San radio station, celebrated World Day for Audiovisual Heritage last week.

Moshe Maghundu, the librarian/archivist, reports about the day:

The people made some noise about World Day for Audiovisual Heritage. 

Information on how technology migrated from old to new helps us to understand where radio comes from.

School children in the audience

 The archivists of X-K FM did a Powerpoint presentation about World Day for Audiovisual Heritage.

Moshe Maghundu

 X-K FM ran a competition based on the Powerpoint presentation. The school children excelled in answering the questions.

There was entertainment by the Platfontein local upcoming artists.
They are looking forward to Pops Mohamed Duo who is coming to train them as part of heritage preservation.

Local upcoming artist mentored by RBF Platfontein: Baka

Local upcoming artist mentored by RBF Platfontein,
Drap JJ Stars on stage

A special thanks to RBF production assistant Rena Maghundu for her technical support at the scene, as well asWilliam Heath for availing the equipment. 

The day was celebrated with great success!

Between Stations....

Between stations, radio stations, that is, there has always been a lot of development and movement here at the SABC.  Broadcasting never has been and never will be a static affair.  If you hear static, well, turn the dial, the radio-friend is there somewhere!  

Recently I had to research the Radio Stations of the SABC, and thought to share a bit of what I learnt, for interest sake.  Please feel free to share YOUR memories of SABC Radio, we would love to hear!

Radio Stations of the SABC:

·         A Programme / English Service (1936/08/01-1985/12/31)

o   Radio South Africa (1986/01/01 – 1995/02/28)

o   SAFM (1995/03/01)

·         B Programme / Afrikaanse Diens (1937/10/27 – 1985/12/31)

o   Radio Suid-Afrika (1986/01/01 – 1991/09/30)

o   Afrikaans Stereo )1991/10/01 – 1996/09/30)

o   Radio Sonder Grense / RSG (1996/10/01)

·         Radio Lourenco Marques / LM Radio (1935 / 1972/06/01 by SABC – 1975/10/12)

o   Radio 5 (1975/10/13 – 1992)

o   5 FM (1992)

·         The Voice of South Africa (1951/12)

o   Radio RSA (1966/05/01)

o   Channel Africa (1992/10) – funded by the State

·         Springbok Radio (1950/05/31 – 1985/12/31)

·         Radio Bantu (1960/01/01)

o   Radio Sesotho (1962/01/01)

§  Lesedi FM (1996)

o   Radio Zulu (1962/01/01)

§  Ukhozi FM (1996)

o   Radio Setswana (1962/06/01)

§  Motsweding FM (1996)

o   Radio Lebowa (1962/06/01)

§  Thobela FM (1996)

o   Schools  Radio Service (1964)

o   Radio Tsonga (1/21965)

§  Munghana Lonene FM (1996)

o   Radio Venda (1965)

§  Phala Phala FM (1996)

o   Radio Xhosa (1966)

§  Umhlobo Wenene FM (1996)

o   Radio Swazi (1982)

§  Ligwalagwala FM (1996)

o   Radio Ndebele (16/3/1983)

§  Ikwekwezi FM (1996)

·         Radio Good Hope / Radio Goeie Hoop (1965/07/01 – 1992)

o   Good Hope FM (1992)

o   Also Good Hope Stereo / Goeie Hoop Stereo

·         Radio Ovambo (1969/11 – 1979/05) – in SWA till SWABC/SWAUK came into being

·         Radio Herero (1969/11 – 1979/05) – in SWA till SWABC/SWAUK came into being 

·         Radio Damara Nama (1969/11 – 1979/05) – in SWA till SWABC/SWAUK came into being 

·         Radio Kavango (1972/02-1979/05) – in SWA till SWABC/SWAUK came into being 

·         Radio Lotus (1983/01/08)

o   LotusFM (??)

·         Radio Metro (1986/09/01 - 1998)

o   Metro FM (1998)

·         Radio 2000 (1987/01/01)

·         X-K FM (2000/08)

·         CKI FM (2002/09 by SABC, prior Ciskei station)

o   TruFM (2008)

·         Radio Allegro (1985/06/01 – 1993)

·         Radio Orion (1982/05/01-1990/12/31)

Separate channels funded by the state and managed on behalf of the state by the SABC:

·         Radio Bob

·         Radio Sunshine / Radio Sonskyn

Stations sold by the SABC in 1996:

·         Radio Highveld/Radio Hoëveld (1964/09/01- 1988/04/01) 

o   Highveld Stereo / Hoëveld Stereo (1988/04/01)  (current – NOT SABC) – sold in 1996

o   Radio Jacaranda / Jakaranda (1985/07/01 -1994/05/31)

o   Jacaranda/Jakaranda 94-97 FM (1994/06/01-??) 

§  Jacaranda/Jakaranda Stereo (??) – Sold in 1996

§  Jacaranda / Jakaranda FM (current – NOT SABC)

·         Radio Port Natal 

o   RPN Stereo

o   East Coast Radio (Current – NOT SABC) – Sold in 1996

·         Radio Oranje (1985/06/01 – 1996) – Sold in 1996

o   OFM (current – NOT SABC)

·         Radio Algoa (1986/01/01 – 1996) – Sold in 1996

o   Algoa FM (current – NOT SABC)

·         Radio Kontrei (1990-1991) 

o   Kfm (1991) (Current – NOT SABC) – sold in 1996

ILAM travelling exhibition at SABC: For Future Generations – Hugh Tracey and the International Library of African Music

The four interns of the SABC Radio Archives, which form part of the SABC Media Libraries, visited the ILAM travelling exhibition in the SABC foyer in Auckland Park. The exhibition will still be here until the 28th of October 2011.

"For future generations - Hugh Tracey and the International Library of African Music".

It is as part of the build up towards the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage on the 27th of October 2011 next week.
ILAM stands for International Library of African Music.

Obakeng Phiri, Mbali Jezile, Nokuthula Mzelemu & Thakhani Ramufhufhi 

The exhibition celebrates the work of Hugh Tracey who was a former SABC employee. Hugh Tracey founded ILAM in 1954, and his  collection of sound recordings and photographs of the sub-continent, captured from 1928 through the early 1970s during 19 field excursions that took him as far north as the then Belgian Congo will be represented in this exhibition. ILAM is situated in Grahamstown at the University of Rhodes.

The travelling exhibition, “For Future Generations – Hugh Tracey and the International Library of African Music” displays a selection numerous features on Tracey’s field research, publications, films and audio recordings. Video stations offer footage of South African mine dancing, Chopi xylophone orchestras, Shona music and story-telling, and on ILAM’s history and current projects.    

           - Ilse Asmann (SABCMediaLib blog: World Day for Audiovisual heritage)

Read more about Hugh Tracey and his contribution to the preservation of the rich heritage of African music:
Hugh Tracey Portrait

Part of the ILAM exhibition at the SABC

Abel Thulare, SABC Information Librarian, also came to check out the exhibition

Obakeng Phiri took the photos

#Followalibrary with #myfavoritebook - Report from a lone tweep from Africa

October 1 was the yearly Follow a Library #followalibrary day on Twitter.
This year fell on a Saturday.

I enquired about the day this year on Twitter, and got the following response:

I got included in the crew of #followalibrary day by Wilma van den Brink (@wbk500) from the Netherlands. That is what happens when you stick your neck out on social media...
You get immediate response and involvement!

#Followalibrary website

I had a great day following the hashtag #followalibrary on Twitter last Saturday! I found a large number of libraries to follow through my own account at @karentoittoit, but also for the SABC Media Libraries' accounts on Twitter.
SABC Media Libraries: @SABCMediaLib
SABC Radio Archives: @SABCRadioArc

The topic of discussion was #myfavoritebook.
Very valuable suggestions came to the fore with regards new books to explore.
See the Twubs curation tool on top for all the #myfavoritebook suggestions that is still coming through on Twitter.

I found no other libraries from South Africa or Africa participating on Saturday on Twitter.
It is possible that I could have missed them. Please give me an shout-out when you know of any libraries.
Africa is also not included in the list of #followalibrary blog: Find a library to follow.
(Wilma, will you please add us?)

The deduction can be made that libraries and librarians in Africa have still not caught on to social media.
It is something that needs urgent attention, especially since libraries worldwide are going through the same struggles with regards budgets, closures, manpower shortages, the impact of the eBook, Internet and digitization (to name a few).

Is it not time that libraries in Africa step up and connect with their peers on social platforms?
We need the connection and the wisdom from our global colleagues, but we also need the connection with our customers.

What do our customers need to still make us as libraries a valuable resource in Africa?


Related post:
#Followalibrary Day 1 October 2011

Blog post by Karen du Toit @karentoitoit, SABC Radio Archives.

Last day of an archivist on the job - Markus Mmutlana (Vlog1)

Markus Mmutlana, our News and Actuality Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives, went on retirement last week.

He describes how he came to realize the importance of archives after he started working as an archivist in the Sound Archives.

See a previous interview with him about his daily work as an archivist:
The Weekly Archivist interview: News and Actuality archivist

It is sad to see a lifetime of acquired knowledge walk out of the archives. Markus has a wealth of experience and information in the Broadcasting Industry as well as the history of South Africa through his work as a news and actuality archivist. He was unable to carry some of that tacit knowledge over to a new successor because posts have been frozen. It was not possible for him to teach his successor while he was still working here.

May you enjoy your retirement, Markus!


This is an experimental Vlog by Karen du Toit, Afrikaans Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives.
(Apologies for  the less-than-perfect quality as it was recorded on a cellphone.)

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage - 27/10/2011

In building up towards the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage which is celebrated on the 27^th of October, we will host an exhibition from the International Library of African Music (ILAM) in the SABC foyer from next week, 5 October until 28 October 2011.  Please make time to visit the exhibition.

The exhibition celebrates the work of Hugh Tracey who was a former SABC employee. Hugh Tracey founded ILAM in 1954, and his  collection of sound recordings and photographs of the sub-continent, captured from 1928 through the early 1970s during 19 field excursions that took him as far north as the then Belgian Congo will be represented in this exhibition. ILAM is situated in Grahamstown at the University of Rhodes.

The travelling exhibition, “For Future Generations – Hugh Tracey and the International Library of African Music” displays a selection numerous features on Tracey’s field research, publications, films and audio recordings. Video stations offer footage of South African mine dancing, Chopi xylophone orchestras, Shona music and story-telling, and on ILAM’s history and current projects.

On the 27^th of October, The Pops Mohamed Duo has agreed to do a lunch hour concert for the SABC staff. He will demonstrate some of the instruments that Hugh Tracey had collected during his travels. The concert promises to be a highlight for us.

We hope to see you there.

Ilse Assmann, Manager: SABC Media Libraries