UCT Libraries

The Audiovisual Archive includes some 20,000 items, including 35 and 16-mm film and video.

Our holdings include current academic journals related to African studies in both print and digital formats. Collections of popular magazines with historic significance, and academic and community periodicals which are no longer published.

Special Collections include scrapbooks and folders of press clippings on southern African topics compiled and donated by individual researchers and journalists as well as civil society organisations.

Special Collections holds runs of important press clippings bulletins on specific areas or themes, including AF Press Clips, Facts and Reports, and South African Press Clips.

Newspaper holdings are rich and varied, including nearly-complete runs of the Cape Argus and the Cape Times from the 19th century.

The African Film Collection comprises Africa-themed documentaries, feature films, and shorts, including television series, which have either been made in Africa or have predominantly African-related content.

The photographic archive in Special Collections has material that spans a period from the inception of photography to the present day, from fragile prints to digital format.

There are many rare and valuable books in the various subject-focused sub-collections in Special Collections.

Published Collections included the significant African Studies collections of published monographs and pamphlets. This collection was founded in 1953.

Special Collections has a large collection of South and Southern African posters and political ephemera.