Archives Open Day: “Travelling through the Archives”

Thabo Motlhadi

Gauteng Provincial Archives, under the Department of Sport, Art, Culture and Recreation, recently hosted a successful Open Day under the theme “Travelling through the Archives”. The campaign took place at Mogale City Local Municipality, Kagiso 2, Gauteng Provincial Archives, on Friday, February 13, 2026.


Stakeholders involved that made the event possible through the collaboration with key stakeholders were:

* West Rand Youth Development Center
* West Rand City Local Municipality
* WestCol College Campus


Purpose of the Day

The main objective of the Open Day was to educate the public about the knowledge, services, and programmes offered by the Gauteng Provincial Archives. The campaign also aimed to raise awareness that the Archives operates five (5) days a week, from Monday to Friday, between 08:00 and 16:00. Community members were encouraged to visit the archives to access valuable records and important information for personal use, school projects, or assignments and also research and other purposes. The event also highlighted how historical records are carefully preserved and safeguarded for future generations.

As a librarian from West Rand City Local Municipality, Mrs Thandeka Legae said, “It’s an honour and privilege to collaborate with the Archives on their Open Day.” We are grateful for the invite extended to our stakeholders in the West Rand City Local Municipality. As the West Rand City Local Municipality Libraries, we remain committed to supporting the Archives Center in their mandate to preserve the province’s heritage. Today was a display of how collaborations can assist the Provincial Department of Sport, Art, Culture, and Recreation to engage our communities to be part of the mandate for community development and social cohesion.”

Event Highlights

Under the theme “Travelling through the Archives”, the open day provided the community with her direct access to Archives records and information. Attendees were taken on a guided tour of the facility, where they explored how important documents and historical records are stored and preserved.

As a resident from the Bekkersdal community, Mrs Busisiwe Mtande said, “It was a great experience seeing all that effort. It made me realise how vital it is to keep that part alive for future generations. It’s like a hidden treasure that shapes identity and community. The tech in the blind room that reads books out loud without braille shows how accessibility is built right into preserving knowledge. It’s like history and inclusion hand in hand, making sure everyone can connect with Gauteng’s past.”

The campaign successfully strengthened community awareness about the importance of archives and promoted greater public engagement with the services offered by the Gauteng Provincial Archives.