South Africa Archives and Libraries

Archives
National Archives and Records Service (NARS) National Archives Building 24 Hamilton Street Arcadia, South Africa "How to" Guide: First, read through the [[Media:1-National_Archives,_Instruction.pdf|Instruction]]. Then test your knowledge with the short [[Media:2-National_Archives,_Assignment.pdf|Assignment]] - the [[Media:3-National_Archives,_Answer_Key.pdf|Answer Key]] is provided to check your answers. This online resource provides a National Automated Archival Information Retrieval System which contains records of genealogical value.
 * Genealogical Research
 * pdf. Guide to Genealogical Research
 * General Research

Director of the Genealogical Institute of South Africa 115 Banghoek Rd Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa P.O. Box 3033 Matieland 7602 Tel.: +27 21 887 5070 Fax: 27 21 887 5031 E-mail: info@gisa.org.za -

University of Cape Town Archival and Special Collections

The UCT Archives preserves paper records in two sets of collections: Administrative Archives and the University Libraries’ Special Collections.

University of Pretoria Archives

The Archives of the University of Pretoria serves as the memory bank of the institution. It preserves and maintains access to records from all sectors of the University, as well as associated institutions and communities. It strives to reflect the spirit of the University and to support the University’s teaching, research and community service mission.

Western Cape Archives and Records Service

The Western Cape Archives and Records Service provides public access to government records and private collections that are 20 or more years old. The archive is used for academic, government and private research. Genealogical research is the most popular use of the archives.

Independent Archives

Historical Papers is one of the largest and most comprehensive independent archives in Southern Africa. Over 3300 collections of historical, political and cultural importance, encompassing the mid 17th Century to the Present

Libraries
National Library of South Africa Pretoria Campus 228 Johannes Ramokhoase St Pretoria 0001 South Africa Telephone: 27 012 401 9700 Email: [mailto:infodesk@nlsa.ac.za infodesk@nlsa.ac.za] Cape Town Campus 5 Queen Victoria Street Cape Town 8000 South Africa Telephone: 27 021 424 6320 Email: [mailto:info@nlsa.ac.za info@nlsa.ac.za] Website: National Library of South Africa

Africana Research Library 63-65 Dutoitspan Road 34 Sidney St Kimberley 8300 Northern Cape South Africa Telephone: 27 53 830 6247 Email: [mailto:info@africanalibrary.co.za info@africanalibrary.co.za] Website: Africana Library, Kimberley Website #2: Africana Library Website #3: Africana Library, Kimberley

University College London

The University College London contains the following database: Legacies of British Slave-ownership. It is a database of those paid after being forced to free slaves in 1833. Although the site refers to "British Slave Ownership", searching the database shows all claims by residents of the South Africa cape colony.

University of South Africa (UNISA) Library

Capetown Branch 15 Jean Simonis Street Parow 7500 Telephone: 27 021 936 4125/4126 Email: [mailto:ctnlib@unisa.ac.za ctnlib@unisa.ac.za]

Record Offices
Department of Home Affairs
 * The Registrar, Births, Marriages and Deaths Department of Home Affairs Sentrakor Building, 173 Pretorius Street Pretoria 0001, South Africa Postal Address: Private Bag X114 Pretoria 0001 Tel.: 012-3148109 E-mail hacc@dha.gov.za

What is very important to remember with regard to genealogical research is that as a rule none of the records created by the Department of Home Affairs would ever be transferred to the National Archives Repository. In terms of their legislation they would keep such records with them and they even have an archives for those records that they do not need on a day to day basis anymore. The National Archives Repository has no access to or control over this archives. The kind of records that they would keep would include Birth-, Marriage- and Death Registers, Identity documents, passports, information about persons home addresses, etc.