scholarly journals Factors influencing the adoption of free and open-source software for electronic records management by municipalities in Gauteng Province, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Mahlatse Shekgola ◽  
Jan Maluleka ◽  
Antonio Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Open Source ◽  
South African ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Records Management ◽  
The South ◽  
Proprietary Software ◽  
Electronic Records Management

The South African cabinet adopted policy recommendations from the Government Information Technology Officer's Council pertaining to Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS). Even though the South African Cabinet has shown support for the use of FOSS through the enactment of a policy, the adoption of open source software in electronic records management seems to be slow. Proprietary software continues to be adopted and used by most public institutions, including local and provincial municipalities in South Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate factors that may influence the adoption and use of FOSS for electronic records management by South African municipalities. The study adopted a qualitative research approach to collect data from 10 purposively selected municipalities in Gauteng. Data were analysed and presented thematically to address the research question. The findings of this study suggest that municipalities in Gauteng are not adopting FOSS for electronic records management as expected. This study established that top management support, reliability, affordability of the software, inadequate capability, contracts with proprietary software providers, organisational culture and organisational support are some of the factors that contributed to the low uptake when it comes to the adoption of Free and Open-Source Software by the municipalities.

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

2020 ◽  
pp. 160-176
Author(s):  
Vincent Malesela Mello ◽  
Mpho Ngoepe
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Electronic Record ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Electronic Systems ◽  
Data Loss ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
The Future ◽  
Electronic Records Management

Rand Water was one of the earliest institutions to introduce electronic records management in 1991. Over the period of three decades, there have been numerous changes at the institution, and within the South African legal framework, there is a need to transfer the digital records into archival custody. However, there is no infrastructure to ingest digital records into archival custody. This poses challenges to institutions such as Rand Water as they are forced to create an interim solution for electronic records preservation. The challenge is compounded by the fact that since implementing electronic systems, Rand Water has migrated to several products. There is a danger that some records might have been lost during migration. This chapter narrates on the electronic record-keeping within Rand Water from yesteryear to today in order to map the way for the future. It has established that Rand Water has implemented several ECMs and migrated to different products over the years. A further study on data loss and recoverability during migration to the different ECMs is recommended.

“Justice delayed is justice denied”

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mpho Ngoepe ◽  
Salmon Makhubela
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Records Management ◽  
The South ◽  
Criminal Cases ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
The Media ◽  
African Media

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the cases of “delayed and denied” justice that resulted from a lack of or poor record-keeping in the South African courts and police service with a view to encouraging proper records management. Proper records management plays a significant role in supporting the justice system. Records provide the critical evidence that a particular action or transaction took place and can be used as evidence in a court of law. Without reliable and authentic records, government cannot administer justice and, as a result, offenders can be set free while the victims are denied justice. Design/methodology/approach – Utilising content analysis, this study extracted print media articles (2000-2012) relating to the “records and justice system” from the South African Media database, which is one of the databases hosted by the South African Bibliographic and Information Network. The study selected cases reported in the media to conduct follow-up interviews with a policeman, lawyer and judge to discover the implications of the unavailability of required records in court cases. Furthermore, access was given to three selected cases that were given high profile in the media and these cases were analysed to find out what the final verdict in each case was. Findings – Results of the study suggest that some criminal cases were withdrawn due to missing dockets or cases not properly registered. In some instances, records were reconstructed, resulting in the travesty of justice. The study concludes by arguing that if records are not accounted for, lawyers, prosecutors and magistrates could dispute the authenticity of records. As a result, justice for victims would be delayed and ultimately denied while the perpetrators are freed. Research limitations/implications – The findings and recommendations of this study may go a long way in helping courts in South Africa to manage records properly to support the justice system. Furthermore, the study is a useful compilation of the importance of missing records for social purposes. Originality/value – In an attempt to show the role of records management in the administration of justice in South Africa, this study used a triangulation of data collection tools. This is a new attempt, especially in the South African context. Previous studies in southern Africa only looked at the management of records in supporting justice system.

Deployment of open source electronic content management software in national government departments in South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mpho Ngoepe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Content Management ◽  
National Government ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Management Software ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electronic Content

Purpose – This paper aims to report the deployment of open source electronic content management software in national government departments in South Africa, with the view to raise awareness of the free and open source software (FOSS) policy. Many countries including South Africa have developed policies that encourage the deployment of free and open source software (FOSS). Design/methodology/approach – The paper opted for qualitative data collected through interviews with four chief information officers, five information technology (IT) officials, two records managers from government departments, one archivist from the National Archives of South Africa and one IT official from the State Information Technology Agency; these were selected purposively from national government departments. Furthermore, a free test trial of open source software, Alfresco Community Edition, was conducted for a 30-day period during September 2013. Alfresco was chosen as it is the preferred FOSS in government departments in South Africa. Findings – The key finding reveals that, in contrast with the FOSS policy, governmental bodies in South Africa preferred proprietary software over FOSS, as only one government department has migrated to FOSS. The reasons cited for the low uptake of open source electronic content management include the perceived lack of support for FOSS or short lifespan support which was confirmed through the trial test, as well as a lack of IT skills by records management practitioners who are responsible for implementation of electronic content management and hidden costs as the internal staff would spend time supporting, tailoring and enhancing the software. It is observed that failure to raise awareness and benefits of the FOSS policy in South Africa will curtail the document into a dull epistle. Research limitations/implications – Due to the chosen research approach and sampling method, the results were not generalised to the population. It is hoped that the study will stimulate further research interest and raise awareness in government departments with regard to FOSS policy implementation, especially in the area of electronic content management. Practical implications – The paper shows the difficulty in implementing a policy and putting it into practice without looking into its practical feasibility. Originality/value – This research attempts to bridge the gap and bring new elements by assessing the level of FOSS adoption in the area of electronic content management which is often ignored by the government and also less researched by scholars.

Legality of electronic archive management in realizing Indonesia E-government

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dessy Harisanty ◽  
Esti Putri Anugrah
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Electronic Archive ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Archives ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Electronic Records Management

Purpose This paper aims to assess to which extent the legality of electronic archive management can realize Indonesia E-government. This aspect of legality can have a significant impact on the application ofe-government in a country. The legality focuses on the archival legislation of the Republic of Indonesia in discussion related to the management of electronic archives. Design/methodology/approach The method used in this research is content analysis with qualitative research approach. The data for this research was taken from the Undang-Undang Kearsipan Indonesia (Indonesia Archives Constitution) documents that is available on the official website of Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia (ANRI) (National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia). To complete the discussion in this paper also conducted literature study using secondary literature sources. Findings From the aspect of legality, the management of electronic archives does not yet support the implementation of Indonesia E-government. From the aspect of legality, the laws governing the management of electronic archives has not yet existed, there is only the Regulation of the Head of the National Archives regarding the guidelines of general policy for electronic records management in 2012. Research limitations/implications This research is limited to the identification of comprehensive analysis on all documents of the ANRI on the management of electronic archives in the context of Indonesia E-government. From that, the gap between those aspects can be examined. Social implications This paper reveals the importance of legality in the form of regulation of electronic records management in Indonesia E-government. Findings from this research can be useful for the Indonesia E-government program. Originality/value Research with content analysis method on management of electronic archive on Law of Archiving in Republik Indonesia has never been done before. This also applies to the research on the relationship between the management of electronic archives with the application of Indonesia E-government.

Assessing Electronic Records Management Systems at South African Universities

2021 ◽  
pp. 436-452
Author(s):  
Nkholedzeni Sidney Netshakhuma
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Technology Infrastructure ◽  
South African Universities ◽  
Skilled Personnel ◽  
Electronic Records Management

Development and implementation of electronic records management system (ERMS) require the university to develop a strategy that is aligned to a records management programme. Successful implementation of electronic records management systems requires top management support through finance allocations, appointment of skilled personnel, collaboration of internal and external stakeholders, capacity development, and information communication technology infrastructure. When the researcher assessed South African universities with records to adoption of ERMS, it was found that most of the universities adopted effective and efficient records management systems.

scholarly journals Investigating electronic records management and compliance with regulatory requirements in a South African university

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M.E. Kyobe ◽  
P. Molai ◽  
T. Salie
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Regulatory Compliance ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Regulatory Requirements ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Standard Procedures ◽  
Electronic Records Management

This study investigated the extent to which academics and students at a leading University in South Africa managed electronic records in accordance with good practices and regulatory requirements. Literature on electronic records management (ERM) and regulatory compliance was synthesised to create a framework for effective records management. A survey was then conducted to test this framework with 17 academics, 97 students and two technical staff from five faculties. The results revealed several incidents of poor records management and lack of compliance with regulations. Many academics and students were unaware of legislative requirements and penalties. They did not backup or archive records regularly and where this was done, there were no standard procedures followed, which resulted in the adoption of distinct approaches to record keeping. Furthermore, appropriate programmes for educating users on ERM did not exist and academics had not established collaborative initiatives with other nonacademics (e.g. internal auditors and legal experts) to ensure effective ERM. It was also surprising to find that non-computing academics and students managed system security risks better than their computing counterparts. Useful recommendations and the way forward are provided.

scholarly journals Exploring the South African tax consequences of a residential property lottery

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silke De Lange ◽  
Danielle Van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Income Tax ◽  
Capital Gains ◽  
Residential Property ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Capital Gains Tax ◽  
The South ◽  
Residential Properties

Background: Disposing of a residential property by way of a lottery sounds peculiar, but a number of these transactions relating to residential properties in South Africa have recently taken place. As this is not an ordinary way of disposing of and acquiring residential property, it is submitted that it is necessary to explore the tax consequences resulting from such a transaction. Aim: The objective of this article is to explore some of the most pertinent South African tax consequences of such a residential property lottery transaction, from the viewpoint of the owner (‘seller’) who disposes of the residential property and the winner (‘purchaser’) who acquires the residential property in terms of the lottery. Setting: This article examines existing literature in a South African income tax environment to explore the tax consequences resulting from a disposal and acquisition of residential property by way of a lottery. Methods: A non-empirical study, which entails the study of the various South African tax provisions and an application thereof to the facts of the lottery transaction, was conducted. A doctrinal research approach was followed within the realm of exploratory research. Results: Disposing of and acquiring residential property by way of a lottery results in a number of actual tax consequences, as well as a number of uncertainties regarding taxes (referred to as uncertain considerations). Conclusion: The conclusion is reached that the possible tax consequences of such a transaction can create tax risks or can result in unintended tax consequences relating to inter alia income tax (including capital gains tax), transfer duty and donations tax. The insights provided in this article do not always result in conclusive answers but they may, however, result in further research to be conducted, and a number of such areas for further research were identified. Should residential property lottery transactions occur more frequently in South Africa in future, it is recommended that the South African Revenue Services (SARS) issues clear guidance on the tax treatment from the perspective of the owner and the winner of such a transaction to ensure that any uncertainties are dealt with correctly.

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