TRC Final Report

Volume 1

Chapter 11

Part OtherDepts

Subsection 26

Management and Operational Reports

RECORDS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

■ DOCUMENTS USED BY THE COMMISSION

1 The activities of the Commission resulted in the creation, use and distribution of volumes of documentation. These ranged from vital confidential documents such as amnesty applications and gross human rights violation statement forms, to Commission newsletters, posters and pamphlets. Such documentation also included research and special reports, transcripts of the Commission’s hearings, confidential, secret and top secret records of the security forces, the National Intelligence Agency and the National Archives, computer generated database records and audio and video tapes. A documentation officer was made responsible for the management of records in each region.

■ INTRODUCTION OF A RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY

2 Initially, the methods employed to manage records varied regionally, as did the type of records collected, with the exception of the human rights violation statements. Furthermore, various committees, units and departments within the Commission operated fairly independently. The lack of uniformity or set policy on classification and storage systems and management and care of the Commission’s records resulted in less than adequate record management. This needed to be remedied.

3 A better records management policy was subsequently developed and introduced by the Commission. This provided a uniform system of records management and improved the security and care of confidential records kept within the Commission as potential assets of the nation.

4 Furthermore, the Commission’s records management policy ensured that the Commission’s records could be retrieved for the writing of the final report. To this end, all the Commission’s records were transferred to the national office to facilitate the writing of the report and a smooth handover process.

5 The Minister of Justice indicated that, while the Commission’s records were the property of the Department of Justice, they should be located in the National Archives under his protection and made available to the public as he, in consultation with the National Archivist, saw fit.¹ The National Archives assisted the Records Management Department in developing a records management policy to facilitate this transfer.

■ METHOD OF WORK

6 The documentation classification system and records management policy was developed and approved by the Commission in consultation with the National Archives.

7 A documentation officer in each region was responsible for the proper implementation of this policy and reported progress to the national office on a monthly basis. Each documentation officer was required to present and explain the policy to regional staff and all other units and departments in order to ensure that the proposed systems were being implemented.

Management and Operational Reports

RESEARCH DEPARTMENT

■ INTRODUCTION

1 The primary functions of the Research Department were to:

a assess and add value to information before the Commission

b provide an understanding of the historical context within which alleged gross human rights violations referred to by the Commission occurred

c facilitate the writing of the report submitted to the President in October 1998.

2 This, by definition, meant that the work of the Department impacted on a range of activities.