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Archival materials are repeatedly consulted to settle disputes before the courts of law. The main purpose of the paper is to examine the use of archival materials in the ultimate settlement of the border dispute between Botswana and Namibia over the disputed ownership of the Sedudu/Kasikili Island. This paper took a qualitative approach where documentary review of archival materials and other documentary sources were used to answer the research questions. The findings indicate that archival materials in their various forms such as drawings, maps, plans, reports, scientific documents, and correspondence by colonial authorities played a significant role as evidence that informed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to legally settle the boundary dispute between Botswana and Namibia. This paper also established the need for archivists to preserve the reliability and authenticity of records over time for them to be trusted as evidence. The fact that the case was solved with access to archival materials among other evidence presented, is an indication of the importance of archives in the society. Although this paper contributes to literature on the role of archives in the resolution of boundary conflicts, it is limited in that the findings are restricted to a review of archival materials in the holdings of the Botswana National Archives and Records Service (BNARS) exclusive of archival materials from the National Archives of Namibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the responsibility for governments to account and be transparent evolves, access to information is becoming a significant tool in that regard. As such, most countries prioritised access to archives to uphold accountability and transparency, particularly in democratic states. However, for some institutions, access to archives is still a challenge. In this regard, this paper sought to assess the factors that affect access to archives at the Botswana National Archives and Records services (BNARS) with the aim of finding solutions to improve access to archives in Botswana. The study adopted a qualitative approach to review literature on the factors that affect access to archives. The study found that access to archives at BNARS is impacted by copyright issues; weak and lacking appropriate legislative framework; distance barriers; as well as logistical barriers. Ultimately, the paper reflects that several solutions such as the development and review of the legislative framework regarding access to archives, improvement of logistical and operational standards, and implementation of policies are recommended. These interventions should be implemented in line with the International Council on Archives (ICA) principles of access to archives. This would pave way for improved access to archives and archival repositories in Botswana and the ESARBICA region at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper to review the legislative framework for social media records in Botswana. The goal is to determine the extent to which the current legislation in Botswana covers the management of social media records. Design/methodology/approach: This paper applied a qualitative research methodology and used documentary review method to collect data for analysis. The data collected was reviewed and organised into themes that cut across all the data sources to answer the main research objective. Findings: The findings of this paper show that the Botswana Government has made strides in reforming some legislation to address issues that rise with the continued use of the internet and cloud services in the country. However, a review of the legislation established that the reforms were not comprehensive enough for records generated on social media. The relevant subsidiary legislation also fell shot in filing this gap in the country's legislative framework. Research limitations/implications: Research into the legislative framework for records generated on social media platforms in Botswana still needs more insights, specifically guidelines in the implementation of the current legislation in the country. Practical implications: The findings of this paper can be used by both Botswana and other governments, especially in Africa where there is limited research in the area, to better manage records generated through the use of social media with respect to relevant legislative frameworks. Originality/value: This paper is one of the first research contributions to review the legislative framework for records generated on social media in Botswana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued use of social media by governments requires that the resultant records, currently termed liquid communication, be governed for accountability purposes. However, some governments worldwide and many in Africa do not have information governance policies to ensure accountability for social media generated records. Therefore, this study examines the roles and responsibilities for the governance of liquid communication generated through social media use by the Botswana government. The study adopts a qualitative approach to collect data from purposively selected participants. This study reveals that public relations officers administered the Botswana government's social media pages. Furthermore, the Botswana National Archives and Records Services was not involved in the country's liquid communication governance. Therefore, the study recommends a cross-functional approach to the governance of liquid communication in Botswana. All stakeholders' roles and responsibilities in government information management should be clearly spelled out and documented, which is currently not the case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National archival institutions are responsible for the acquisition, preservation and making accessible of their nation’s documentary heritage. It is on this basis that the Department of Botswana National Archives and Records Services (BNARS) acquires records through the normal transfer of public records from government agencies as well as donations of private archives. The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the processing of private archives of a prominent “Kgosi” in the history of Botswana, Kgosi Bathoen II of the Bangwaketse ethnic group. This is a qualitative study that used literature review to collect data. It also uses the author’s personal observation, as she was involved in the acquisition and processing of the Bathoen II archives. The key findings suggest that even though Batswana have not been donating their private archives in high numbers, BNARS have made strides in collecting private archives of prominent individuals in the country. Unlike public records, private archives collections may not come in any logical arrangement, which may be a tormenting exercise for the archivist to process and select what is worth preserving. This paper concludes that despite the difficulties encountered in processing a huge collection of private papers with no order, private papers should follow the normal archives’ practice of arrangement and description for eventual access by researchers or users. Additionally, the significance of private archives in filling the gaps found in the national repositories was revealed through Bathoen II collection, as it has information on various aspects of Botswana life, customs, traditions and the people. As such, the collection provides diversity to the nation’s documentary heritage and serves as a rich resource for research. This paper also presents lessons learnt in the preservation of private archives in Botswana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments all over the world are using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enable the delivery of their programmes more effectively and efficiently and to increase the participation of the citizens in their governance through their e-government initiatives. The main purpose of this study was to explore issues of access to electronic case files at the Gaborone Magisterial District. Since 2005, the Department of Administration of Justice (AOJ) in Botswana has implemented an electronic Court Records Management System (CRMS) to manage case file records at the high courts and magistrates' courts of Botswana as one of the government's public sector reforms to improve service delivery at the courts. This study used both the quantitative and qualitative approaches with data collected through a questionnaire, document review, interviews with respondents and observation of respondents at the Gaborone Magisterial District as well as at justice stakeholders, which are Department of Public Prosecutions and the Department of Prisons and Rehabilitation. The questionnaire was supplemented with interviews. The study used the Records Continuum Model as lens to examine how electronic case files were used and accessed through the CRMS. The findings of the study revealed inadequate legislation on the management of electronic case files in Botswana. Challenges such as network disruptions, shortage of computers, resistance to change, training and a lack of commitment by staff affected access to court records on the CRMS. The study also established that access to electronic case files was limited to court personnel only. The study recommends the adoption of relevant policies and the provision of adequate infrastructure and remote access to electronic court records by the public and other stakeholders in the justice system in Botswana. Failure to provide online access to court records goes against the spirit of the Botswana National ICT policy and the National Vision 2036, which advocates for digital access to information and community access through the use of ICTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is part of InterPARES Trust (IP Trust) four projects which is a multi-disciplinary and multinational research project that explores issues concerning digital records entrusted to the Internet worldwide. As part of the e-government transition in the public sector, Botswana is grappling with a change from manual recordkeeping practices to digital ones, where records might be supported by ICTs or generated within ICTs themselves. Digital records generated within and managed by Enterprise Content Management systems (ECMs) optimized for recordkeeping may require intervention both to be identified as records and integrated in a networked environment where they can be managed for effective e-government services. The paper draws on a bibliography of over 50 published articles in order to examine the state of enterprise-wide systems and ECM applications in the Botswana public service; determine their relationship (if any) to existing archives and records management (ARM) practices; and to contextualize these enterprise-wide systems and ECM applications with acknowledged ARM challenges in Botswana and Africa. It is hoped that the paper will provide evidence and lay the future foundation for the integration of ARM practice in the Botswana e-government drive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Botswana, the public sector has been fully active in utilising social media platforms as part of the e-government programme, thereby generating liquid communication in the process. The content in social media platforms, which is referred to as liquid communication, is so fluid that its management becomes a challenge. This is so because one moment a post is available on a social media platform and the next moment it disappears. The unstable nature of liquid communication calls for its governance according to established national and international records management principles. Objectives: This study utilised the principles of information governance of the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) as a theoretical framework to examine how liquid communication generated through social media platforms is governed by the Botswana government. Method: Qualitative data were collected through document analysis and interviews with officials from government departments concerned with the management of information. Results: The study revealed that despite the active presence on social media by the Government of Botswana in communicating with the public, there is a lack of a framework to govern liquid communication. This resulted in weak accountability, protection, compliance, transparency and integrity, as well as retention and disposition for governance of liquid communication. Conclusion: The study concludes by arguing that failure to manage and preserve liquid communication would result in a loss of digital heritage for the country. A framework for liquid communication governance in the Botswana public sector is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media as a communication tool has enabled governments around the world to interact with citizens for customer service, access to information and to direct community involvement needs. The trends around the world show recognition by governments that social media content may constitute records and should be managed accordingly. The literature shows that governments and organisations in other countries, particularly in Europe, have social media policies and strategies to guide the management of social media content, but there is less evidence among African countries. Thus the purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of usage of social media by the Botswana government in order to determine the necessity for the governance of liquid communication. Liquid communication refers to the type of communication that goes easily back and forth between participants involved through social media. The study adopted a qualitative case study approach where data were collected through documentary reviews and interviews among purposively selected employees of the Botswana government. This study revealed that the Botswana government has been actively using social media platforms to interact with its citizens since 2011 for increased access, usage and awareness of services offered by the government. Nonetheless, the study revealed that the government had no official documentation in terms of policies and strategies that dealt with the governance of liquid communication. This study recommends the governance of liquid communication to ensure timely, efficient and accurate retrieval when needed for business purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess whether the implementation of the electronic Court Records Management System (CRMS) at the Gaborone Magisterial District, Botswana, brought improvements in the delivery of justice as expected in the management of case file records.Design/methodology/approach Principally, a quantitative approach utilizing a research survey design, supplemented by a qualitative approach was used in this study.Findings The CRMS implementation led to improvements in case file management at the Gaborone Magisterial District; case files were successfully captured into the system; retrieval of case files became easier; and incidents of lost and misplaced case files went down significantly. Challenges included shortcomings related to the security of digital case files, digital records preservation and disposition, records appraisal, training, inadequate bandwidth and shortage of computers, as well as inadequate archives and records management standards and guidelines.Research limitations/implications The findings of the study are limited to the case study and cannot be generalized to other organizations.Practical implications The findings should aid future implementation of court records management systems in the judiciary specifically and the public sector in general in Africa. Lessons learnt can enable the avoidance of pitfalls experienced in the implementation of CRMS by other courts.Originality/value This paper provides empirical evidence from an original study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archival legislation is the basis for records and archives management in any country. The National Archives Act of Botswana was enacted in 1978 to give the Botswana National Archives and Records Services (BNARS) its mandate to provide a framework for conducting records and archival functions in Botswana. It mandates BNARS to collect, preserve and make accessible the nation's documentary heritage. In recognition of its deficiencies, amendments were made in 2007 to incorporate the management of current records, electronic records and recognition of private archives. A review of this legislation reveals that these amendments fared way below expectations as the Act currently has serious weaknesses that need to be addressed to improve archival practice in the country. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to examine the National Archives and Records Services Act in Botswana and its implications on archival practice in the country. This paper took a qualitative approach utilising documentary review to collect data and content analysis. This is an original study using a documentary review to review the archival legislation in Botswana. The findings of this paper would contribute towards the literature in archival legislation in Botswana and the ESARBICA region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]