(Re)launch of SAHA at Wits University

The SAHA board decided two years ago that given the difficult funding situation, reintegrating into Wits would offer the best possibility of ensuring the longevity of the organisation. In 2020 the university executive formally endorsed the proposal for reintegration and also agreed to establish the Archives and Research Hub (consisting of SAHA, Historical and Research Papers and the History Workshop) to give concerted attention to social justice archives. The devastating fire last year at UCT brought the general crisis of archives sharply into focus, and it is clear that universities and civil society will need to be more active in this space.

The reintegration was formally completed earlier this year. SAHA now has offices in the History Workshop and exists next to Historical Papers as an archive in the library. We’ve also created an Advisory Committee to oversee SAHA’s activities in and outside the university. 

The Reading Room is situated in room 217 on the 2nd floor of the Robert Sobukwe Block on the Wits East Campus.

While researchers and other interested members of the public are very welcome to visit SAHA, access to the SAHA office and collections is by appointment only.

If you would like to visit us to consult our archival materials, please browse our collection descriptions and inventories to identify which collections may be of interest to you. You can then email the archival team to let them know which collections you would like to consult and to make an appointment to visit SAHA. This will enable SAHA staff to prepare for your visit and possibly identify other materials that might be relevant to your research interests. A large number of our collections are stored off site and take 2 to 3 working days to retrieve. 

To access our collections descriptions and inventories, please register or login.

SAHA is open to all users by appointment only on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 08h30 and 14h00 and on Wednesdays between 08h30 and 13h00. We are currently closed on Fridays.

For more information about visiting the archives, please email info@saha.org.za.