In October 2004, a steering committee consisting of eight people, Vuyani Booi, Philippe Denis, Sean Field, Nomvula Mbangela, Sekgothe Mokgoatsana, Mandy Gilder, Khanyi Ngcobo and Patricia Opondo, was elected to prepare the way for the establishment of an Oral History Association in South Africa. 

Countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Argentina and Japan already have such a body.  Oral history exists as a separate academic discipline since the late 1940s.  It is practised all over the world as is shown by the number of people attending the conferences organised by the International Oral History Association (IOHA) every two years.  South Africa had the privilege to host one of these conferences in 2002 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.  A number of South African scholars attended the following conference in Rome, Italy in 2004 and others are due to attend the one in Sydney, Australia in 2006.  Our colleagues all over the world are looking forward to the creation of an oral history association in our country.

Why do we need a national oral history association in South Africa at this point in time?