Contribution of Auditor-General South Africa to Records Management in the Public Sector in South Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT Records management plays a significant role in ensuring accountability, transparency and good governance. Chapter nine institutions, on the other hand, are democratic institutions responsible for the promotion of accountability, transparency and good governance in the public sector through various forms such as investigation, reporting, and recommendations. While the regulatory role of records management in the public sector is the responsibility of the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NASA), it would seem this responsibility is cumbersome for the organization as several scholars concur that the public sector is characterized by poor records management. As a result, NARSSA is unable to support governmental bodies in managing records properly. Given the position of the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA) in government and its mandate as set out by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, this institution is able to hold the state accountable for their actions, unlike NARSSA. This qualitative study explores the contribution of the AGSA to records management in the public sector with the view to ensure accountability, transparency and good governance. Data were collected through interviews with purposively selected participants from the AGSA’s records management unit and external auditors. Furthermore, interview data were augmented with content analysis of documents such as acts, strategic plans, operational plans, audit reports, and annual reports. The study established that there is a working relationship between the AGSA and NARSSA through the memorandum of understanding signed by the two institutions. In addition, the AGSA organizes records management seminars annually to sensitize public servants about the importance of record keeping in support of auditing process. It is concluded that successful execution of the AGSA’s mandate relies on the availability of reliable and authentic records. As a result, the AGSA can contribute towards public sector records management by reporting cases of poor records management in government institutions to NARSSA, which in turn can assist the affected institutions in setting up the proper records management programme.