Interview with an Archivist at SABC Polokwane

Phindile Maringa is an archivist from the SABC Media Libraries. She  relocated on 1 August 2012 from the SABC Radio Archives in Johannesburg, to being the archivist in SABC Media Libraries, Polokwane.

The archivists in the regions are doing things in a different way and on a different scale than here in Johannesburg. They are sometimes expected to be and do more than their initial job requirements specify for an archivist.

It is extremely interesting to have an interview with an archivist who has been working here at head office, and to now compare how things are being done in the regions.


Phindile, please tell us a why you moved to SABC Polokwane. 

I took a transfer back home because I wanted to be with my family. Working a distance away from the kids and my partner initially put strain on me as I had to travel back home each weekend. 
I say thanks to the SABC for granting my request. 

What can you tell us about SABC Polokwane?

SABC Polokwane is a warm welcoming area, where I feel comfortable to share my skills and knowledge acquired. The natural warm feeling comes when one gets greeted by various personnel, who are already calling me by my name. This helps me feel at home and welcomed.

Please tell us about a normal day in your office

I usually prioritize on request and cataloguing news and actuality. It feels good to directly deal with clients. [Which she mostly did not do have to attend to when she was in HQ] 
Besides cataloguing and attending to customer requests, I do recordings of day to day broadcasts of Thobela Fm. I transfer recordings onto cd format. 
I also sort and make a selection of material to catalogue and file. 

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

My collection includes a backlog of reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes, mini-discs and cd’s which contains all broadcasted material for Thobela Fm. 

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

Yes, I do struggle,  but with the interference of the BIT team, my trouble get sorted right away after logging a call.

Tell us why you enjoy doing the work that you do

I enjoy being an information officer because I get to know what is current information globally. 
I have a greater awareness of what is happening in my surrounding areas as well. 
Furthermore, it gives me a chance to use various operating and information systems and to be technologically inclined.


Related post:

The weekly archivist interview: English Archivist


Questions and blog post by Karen du Toit, Archivist in the SABC Radio Archives