Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been embraced by a number of public institutions in Masvingo province of Zimbabwe as part of the government’s drive towards e-governance and improved service delivery. This has resulted in the generation of large volumes of digital records that are invaluable for strengthening accountability, transparency, decision making and service delivery. Preservation of these digital records has been cited as a daunting task for most institutions especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The dynamic nature of information technologies, obsolescence issues, as well as media degradation require digital preservation strategies in place to ensure that digital records remain accessible and usable over time. However, the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ) mandated to preserve all types of records is at the moment unable to ingest digital records from public departments for preservation due to lack of adequate digital storage facilities and skilled manpower. The records creating agencies in Masvingo have been left on their own to deal with the digital preservation conundrum yet they are also faced with similar challenges. This qualitative study utilised the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) reference model as the conceptual framework to explore the strategies for preservation of digital records in Masvingo province in Zimbabwe. Data was gathered through interviews with officials from 13 out of 15 public departments that preserved digital records in Masvingo province, augmented by observation and document analysis. Research data was manually processed and thematically analysed in line with the objectives of the study. The study established that the strategies for preservation of digital records in Masvingo province were failing to guarantee their long-term preservation and security due to lack of supportive legislation, standards, policy guidelines, budgets, adequate and conducive infrastructure and skills. This has resulted in swathes of digital memory being lost. The study recommended the adoption of trusted digital repositories (TDRs) that are compliant to the OAIS standard, close co-operation between records creating agencies, NAZ, information technology (IT) experts and the academia in tackling digital preservation challenges, and the development of preservation policies and guidelines, as well as continuous training and provision of budgets to cater for preservation of digital records. In the absence of infrastructure, the NAZ should consider cloud computing for preservation of digital records as an interim solution while observing legal obligations. / Information Science / M. Inf. (Archival Science)

The writings of Yuk Hui, bringing together technical and philosophical insights, provides new theory for the digital, something desired by many in archival research. The aim of this study is to assess the use of Hui’s theories on digital objects and web ontologies as a unifying theory for archival studies, looking at the concept of digital records in particular. Two types of ontology are needed in order to understand digital objects according to Hui: (1) ontologies which relates to the technical language and hierarchies of knowledge representation, like metadata; (2) Ontology, which is the question of Being in the tradition of Heidegger’s phenomenology, the understanding of what it is to be in the world. Both of these ontologies are needed to account for the nature of the digital object. Further, digital objects are produced and constituted through their relations, which can be divided into discursive (technical and logical) and existential (the understanding of being in the world) relations. Digital objects must be approached both as technical formal entities, and as beings in the world. The first register is common, the second – more existential approach – is rarely applied. Using a metatheoretical and hermeneutic method, different conceptions of digital records are discussed, in order to find commonalities and possibilities in relation to Hui’s theory. The digital record as: a process of becoming, information as affordance, context, temporality and evidence are all related to and structured through the application of Hui’s perspective.   The thesis ends with the contribution of a possible redefinition of digital records: A digital record is constituted and concretised as material by discursive and existential relations, that taken together function as a persistent representation. Further, Hui’s digital object theory is suggested as a structuring and unifying theory. In relation to digital records Hui’s theory on digital objects can function as a metatheoretical measure, and a method of critical reading. / Yuk Hui för samman tekniska och filosofiska perspektiv och erbjuder ny teori för det digitala, något som ofta efterfrågas inom arkivvetenskapen. Syftet med denna studie är att applicera Huis teori om digitala objekt och webontologier som en förenande teori för arkivstudier, specifikt i förhållandet till konceptet digitala records. Två typer av ontologi behövs för att förstå digitala objekt enligt Hui: (1) ontologier som relaterar till tekniskt språk och hierarkiska kunskapsrepresentationer, så som metadata; (2) Ontologi som frågan om varat i fenomenologen Martin Heideggers bemärkelse; förståelsen av vad det är att vara i världen. Båda dessa ontologier behövs för att redogöra för det digitala objektets natur. Vidare produceras och konstitueras digitala objekt genom sina relationer, som kan delas upp i diskursiva (tekniska och logiska) och existentiella (förståelsen av att vara i världen) relationer. Digitala objekt måste förstås både som tekniska formella entiteter och som varelser i världen. Det första perspektivet är vanligt förekommande medan det andra – mer existentiella förhållningssättet – sällan tillämpas. Med hjälp av en metateoretisk och hermeneutisk metod diskuteras olika föreställningar om digitala records för att hitta likheter och möjligheter i relation till Huis teori. Digitala records som: en process av tillblivande, information som affordance, kontext, temporalitet och bevis är koncept som relateras och struktureras genom tillämpningen av Huis perspektiv.   Uppsatsen bidrar med en möjlig omdefinition av digitala records: Ett digitalt record konstitueras och konkretiseras som materiellt genom diskursiva och existentiella relationer vilka, tillsammans, fungerar som en ihållande representation. Vidare framhålls Huis teori för digitala objekt som en strukturerande och förenande teori. I relation till digitala records kan Huis teori om digitala objekt fungera som ett metatoretiskt mått och en metod för kritisk läsning.

A number of digitization projects undertaken by archival organisations in Africa failed to realise their goals of ensuring preservation and access of records. This is partially due to the lack of strategies to move from analogue to digital records. Despite many guidelines, standards and software systems developed by national archives, coalitions, professional associations, research groups and commercial organisations, digital records are still a challenge to manage. This study explored the strategies adopted by the African National Congress (ANC) in digitizing its liberation archives with a view to capturing lessons learnt. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with purposively selected employees of the African National Congress, Multi Choice, Africa Media Online and Nelson Mandela Foundation who were involved in the repatriation and digitization project of the liberation archives. Interview data were augmented through document analysis and observation. The key findings revealed that the ANC established an archives management committee that played an important role in the repatriation and digitization of liberation archives. The committee utilized former liberation struggle members to identify records in various ANC missions in different countries. It was established that although the ANC was aware of where its records were abroad, not all its records were repatriated to South Africa after the unbanning of the liberation movements. Furthermore, the finding revealed that the ANC relied heavily on Multi Choice and Africa Media Online as its archivists were not trained in digitization. A number of lessons learnt with regard to digitization of liberations archives are captured. The study concludes by demonstrating the importance of having a strategy in digitizing archival holdings. It is recommended that this study should be extended to other liberation movements in eastern and southern Africa. / Information Science / M. Inf.

Many scholars lament of poor infrastructure to manage and preserve digital records within the public sector in South Africa to support electronic government (egovernment). For example, in South Africa, the national archives’ repository and its subsidiary provincial archives do not have infrastructure to ingest digital records into archival custody. As a result, digital records are left to the creating agencies to manage and preserve. The problem is compounded by the fact that very few public sector organisations in South Africa have procured systems to manage digital records. Therefore, a question is how are digital records managed and stored in these organisations to support e-government? Do public organisations entrust their records to the cloud as an alternative storage given the fact that both physical and virtual storages are a problem? If they do, how do they ensure accessibility, governance, security and long-term preservation of records in the cloud? Utilising the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) Lifecycle Model as a guiding framework, this qualitative study sought to explore digital curation of records in the cloud to support e-government services in South Africa with the view to propose a framework that would guide the public sector to migrate records to the cloud storage. Semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data from the purposively selected Chief Information Officers in the national government departments that have implemented some of the electronic services such as the Department of Arts and Culture, Department of Home Affairs, Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Basic Education. Furthermore, the National Archives and Records Services of South Africa was also chosen as it is charged with the statutory regulatory role of records management in governmental bodies. So is the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), a public sector ICT company established in 1999 to consolidate and coordinate the state’s information technology resources in order to achieve cost savings through scale, increase delivery capabilities and enhance interoperability. Interview data were augmented through document analysis of legislation and policies pertaining to data storage. Data were analysed thematically and interpreted in accordance with the objectives of the study. The key finding suggests that although public servants informally and unconsciously put some records in the clouds, government departments in South Africa are sceptical to entrust their records to the cloud due to a number of reasons, such as lack of policy and legislative framework, lack of trust to the cloud storage, jurisdiction, legal implications, privacy, ownership and security risks. This study recommends that given the evolution of technology, the government should regulate cloud storage through policy and legislative promulgation, as well as developing a government-owned cloud managed through SITA in order for all government departments to use it. This study suggests a framework to migrate paperbased records to cloud storage that is controlled by the government. / Information Science / D.Lit. et Phil. (Information Science)

This study assessed the digital preservation capability maturity readiness within the context of e-government in Botswana Public Service with a view to developing a strategic framework that ensures digital continuity. There some studies that have been conducted in Botswana regarding digital preservation but they did not provide a framework which could be used as an assessment to check their capability in digital preservation as e-government progresses so that digital information is continuously being used for decision making over time. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm and embedded mixed method approach; whereby a cross sectional survey and case study were deployed in each of the 6 selected ministries as a unit of analysis. The target study respondents comprises of 5 Senior Managers, 4 Managers - Human Resources and Administration, 6 ICT Managers, 40 Records Management Officers,12 Information Technology Officers, 1 Performance Improvement Coordinator, 1 Project Manager, 8 Archivists, 1 Assistant Deputy Manager and 1 Deputy Managers- Management Services. The data was collected through interviews, questionnaires, personal observations, and documents analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected sequentially and simultaneously where one form of data supported or complemented each other so as to have one form of data play a supportive role to the other. Data analysis was achieved through the triangulation of both qualitative and quantitative data in order to yield a single interpretation and conclusion drawn. The findings of the study showed that the Botswana Public Service has no unified national information systems used to manage public sector records leading to some ministries adopting their own electronic records management systems. Currently few ministries have implemented the electronic records management system and majority of the digital records are not preserved due to lack of preservation guidelines and strategies. The study further established the lack of preservation policies and skills in managing and preserving digital records in Botswana Public Service. In that regard, the study developed a strategic framework for digital preservation capability maturity readiness in the context of e-government in the Botswana Public Sector. The ultimate aim of the framework is to ensure digital continuity and make sure that e-government is sustained for the benefit of an open government and increased participatory citizenry. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

An audit of financial statements relies heavily on authentic records to yield informed audit opinions. Without proper records of transactions, the objective of auditing financial statements becomes difficult. In the digital environment, determining the authenticity of digital documents for purposes of auditing is even more problematic because of a lack of criteria used by auditors for the declaration of such authenticity. This study sought to develop a framework for the authentication of records in a government accounting system in Botswana with a view to supporting the audit process in the public sector. This qualitative study framed within the interpretivism epistemological research paradigm, used archival diplomatics as a theoretical lens. Data were collected through system analysis, analysis of documents such as legislation, as well as interviews with auditors, ICT professionals and records management practitioners purposively selected from the Botswana National Archives and Records Services, Office of the Auditor General, Department of Information Technology, Accountant-General’s Department, Department of Internal Audit and Department of Corporate Services of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. The study established that the legislative framework for managing digital records does exist in Botswana. A lack of skills by records management professionals and auditors to authenticate digital records was also noted. The absence of some criteria to authenticate digital records means that auditors use their own discretion with regard to their authenticity. In addition, as a business system, the Government Accounting and Budgeting System (GABS) does produce and store digital records, but their authenticity and availability over time are not guaranteed. This weakness can be addressed by integrating GABS with an Enterprise Content Management (ECM). Currently, records authenticity in GABS is ensured through reliance on social and technical indicators (information technology and system application controls). The study suggests a framework for the authentication of digital accounting records in a government accounting system with the hope that its implementation would support the audit process. It is concluded that because of the failure to establish guidelines and checklists for auditors to authenticate digital records, there will be continued reliance on information technology and system application controls. Therefore, it is recommended that the Auditor General should develop a checklist for authentication. A further study of the integration of Government Accounting and Budgeting System with an Enterprise Content Management to properly manage digital records produced and stored in the system is recommended. / Information Science / D. Phil. (Information Science)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system at Western Cape Government (WCG), South Africa. The study evaluated the state of the implementation in order to establish whether the system met information and records management requirements and objectives. A probability sampling was used on a total population of 51 respondents and participants. The data were triangulated using multi-methods, whereby both qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted in a sequential manner. A structured online survey questionnaire, online interviews, and document analysis were used to collect data, which were descriptively analysed. The study revealed that although the WCG has embarked on digitisation projects, which culminated in the department-wide implementation of ECM, the system was not evaluated regularly and consistently. This resulted in an inability to capture the lessons learnt – as well as a failure to realise the full benefits of implementing the system. The findings also showed that ECM implementation at WCG encountered some challenges – for example, inadequate training provided to staff, lack of adequate technology infrastructure, and poor technical support with regard to systems for managing digital records – that impacted on the system’s efficiency. Some of the recommendations of the study are that WCG should consider conducting regular ECM reviews to determine whether the system performs as required in terms of bringing about expected benefits, such as easy retrieval of digitally stored content. Departments should also ensure that there is an alignment among various digital applications for the purpose of creating a single enterprise platform that promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing. A study of ECM implementation in other provinces would enable a comparison of how the system performs elsewhere, including how it could be used as a viable option for organisations to promote digitisation. / Information Science / M. Inf. (Information Science)

Bibliography: pages 184-207 / Digital records are either stored in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system or electronic content management (ECM), or managed without the benefit of either system. In many countries, public and private organisations have implemented ECM systems, some have implemented ERP systems and others generate digital records without the benefit of any controlled system. In most organisations such systems are not integrated resulting in duplication and fragmentation of records. The South African Water Utility company, Rand Water, has implemented both ERP and ECM systems. Investing in these systems as an organisation comes at a cost but it can add value when used optimally to improve the organisation’s productivity and efficiency. To achieve high productivity and efficiency, integration of an ERP system into an ECM system is a requirement but remains lacking. This qualitative study utilised the Actor Network Theory to explore the integration of ERP into ECM at the South African Water Utility company, Rand Water, with a view to developing a framework for integration of the systems. The study utilised a system analysis case design with fourteen interviews conducted at different levels in the organisation and diverse business units using ERP and ECM to perform their operational deliverables in line with the organisation’s business objectives. The interviews were augmented with data from document analysis of policies, specifications and functionalities of the systems to determine the feasibility of integration. The study established that the water utility company has implemented ERP systems (SAP) since 1994 and ECM system since 1991 (Papertrail and later IBM FileNet) with only information flow module integrated. The study suggested that to integrate ERP into ECM, human and non-human actors need to collaborate to ensure that the actor network being integrated is achieved. The study also presents a strategy discussion for integrating ERP into ECM. A further study on the transfer of digital records in ECM into archival custody is recommended. / Information Science / D. Phil. (Information Science)