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The legacy of an
extraordinary South African
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The Library and Information Service is proud to announce that the
manuscript collection of the late Dr Frederik van Zyl Slabbert (1940 –
2010) will become accessible to researchers during the last quarter of
2015. Future digitisation of the collection is also being considered.
This will ensure the preservation of valuable original documents and
provide unlimited accessibility for a wide range of users.
The Library received the documents from the family, divided into two
large sections, aptly named “Parliamentary years” and “From Dakar to
democracy”. This division was respected in the ordering of the
documents. Where appropriate, subgroups of the documents are placed in
chronological order, which reflects the original division in a natural
way. Sadly, Slabbert’s study in his home was torched by unknown persons
in 1981, with the result that almost no documents emanating from his
earlier academic career have survived.
The collection nevertheless provides a compelling record of Slabbert’s
deep involvement in the workings of South African politics during the
years of National Party Government rule, the transitional period and the
shaping of the “new South Africa”. Today these documents have historical
value far beyond the purpose for which they were created.
New facts about Slabbert’s encounters with persons of influence across
the political spectrum, in and outside of South Africa, are revealed in
his correspondence with them. Also, many documents that have never been
in the public domain, provide fascinating facts about what went on
behind the scenes during talks and meetings he had had with the ANC,
then still in exile, and other African leaders.
The collection is ordered and described on an item level. In addition,
an author/title and a subject catalogue are added as finding aids. Some
of the main parts of the collection are:
• General correspondence
• Correspondence after Slabbert's resignation from Parliament, 1986
• Speeches, Parliamentary and extra-parliamentary
• Lectures & articles
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Die nalatenskap van 'n merkwaardige
Suid-Afrikaner
Die Biblioteek- en Inligtingsdiens kan
met trots aankondig dat die dokument-versameling van die ontslape dr
Frederik van Zyl Slabbert (1940-2010) in die laaste kwartaal van 2015
vir navorsers toegangklik sal wees. Toekomstige digitalisering van die
versameling word ook oorweeg. Dit sal die bewaring van die kosbare
oorspronk-like dokumente verseker en ook onbeperkte toegang tot die
materiaal bied aan ‘n wye spektrum van gebruikers.
Die Biblioteek het die dokumente van
die familie ontvang in twee groot kategorieë, gepas getiteld
“Parliamentary years” en “From Dakar to democracy”. Hierdie indeling is
in ag geneem met die sortering en ordening van die dokumente. Waar
toepaslik is subkategorieë gevorm wat kronologies geoerden is wat die
oorspronklike indeling op ‘n natuurlike wyse reflekteer. Slabbert se
studeerkamer in sy huis is ongelukkig in 1981 deur onbekende persone aan
die brand gesteek en gevolglik het byna geen dokumente van sy vroeë
akademiese loopbaan behoue gebly nie.
Die versameling is egter steeds ‘n
fassinerende rekord van Slabbert se diepe betrokkenheid in
Suid-Afrikaanse politiek gedurende die jare van die Nasionale Party
Regering, die oorgangstydperk en die vorming van die “nuwe Suid-Afrika”.
Vandag het hierdie dokumente geskiedkundige waarde wat verder sal reik
as die doel waarvoor die dokumnte oorspronklik geskep is.
Nuwe feite rondom Slabbert se
ontmoetings met invloedryke persone regoor die politieke spektrum,
nasionaal en internasionaal, word in sy korrespondensie met hulle
openbaar. Baie dokumente binne die versameling wat nog nooit binne die
openbare sfeer was nie, verskaf fassinerende feite rondom wat agter die
skerms aan die gang was tydens ontmoetings en gesprekke wat hy met die
ANC en ander Afrika leiers gehad het.
Die versameling is georden en beskryf
op itemvlak. ‘n Katalogus met meegaande outeur en titel indeks, asook ‘n
onderwerpsindeks, is die vindmiddels vir hierdie versameling. Die
volgende is van die hoofkategorieë in die versameling:
• Algemene korrespondensie
• Korrespondensie ná Slabbert se bedanking uit die Parlement in 1986
• Toesprake, binne en buite die Parlement
• Lesings en artikels
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