Garden Route District Municipality’s Electronic Records Audit, well received

For immediate release
13 July 2023

The Western Cape Archives and Records Services (WCARS) conducted an Electronic Records Audit at the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) on Tuesday 4 July 2023. As part of the process, an Electronic Records Management Survey was provided to complete, prior to the Audit in order to determine if the GRDM complies with the law.

After completion of the audit process, the WCARS recommended that a Records Control Schedule and the Registry Procedure Manual become part of the Electronic System. This means that the retention periods of records should also be incorporated into the electronic system. They also needed clarity regarding the metadata that is electronically backed up, as well as the Electronic Records Disaster Management Plan.

Government bodies have increased the use of electronic systems to conduct their business significantly which changed the manner of how records are created and being stored. Electronic recordkeeping poses particular challenges to governmental bodies and the National Archives and Records Services, both which need to ensure that trustworthy records are being maintained over time as evidence of official business for Accountability, Operational Continuity, Disaster Recovery and Institutional and Social Memory. With paper-based records a well-structured file plan is maintained, and the records are physically protected, the evidence they contain remains accessible and readable over time. Due to rapid changes in technology the same cannot be said of electronic records.

The WCARS was pleased with the outcomes of the GRDM Audit and furthermore expressed their satisfaction with GRDM’s electronic system that was in place and operational. After also visiting the GRDM Registry Office, the team were furthermore impressed by the layout of the office and how daily operations are managed.

Feature Image: Yolandi Dyantyi (Supervisor) and Gideon Joubert, Senior Registry Clerk/Fleet (right), proud officials of the Records & Archives section at Garden Route District Municipality, who assisted the Western Cape Archives and Records Services (WCARS) team during the Electronic Records Audit.

END