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The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has decided to transfer its Genealogical Information Service to the newly established Genealogical Institute of SA (GISA). The HSRC has over the years accumulated one of the largest collections of family history source material in South Africa. The new institute, which was founded in Franschhoek on 26 September?1997, will be accommodated either at the Huguenot Memorial Museum or on the campus of the University of Stellenbosch. According to Dr Rolf Stumpf, President of the HSRC, this step was necessitated by the prescriptions of the White Paper on Science and Technology, namely that science councils should focus their research on national priorities. Genealogical research obviously does not fall into this category. Mr Ritzema de la Bat, chairman of the Huguenot Association of South Africa, initiated the foundation of GISA. In this way it has been ensured that the valuable collection that has been accumulated by the HSRC over the past 26 years is preserved and remains accessible to researchers in the genealogical field. The founder members of GISA is the HSRC, the Huguenot Memorial Museum, the Genealogical Society of SA, the Port Elizabeth Genealogical Research Group, the Huguenot Association of SA, the Huguenot Foundation and the University of Stellenbosch. Mr De la Bat was elected as the first chairman of GISA, and Mr Martin Z?llner of the Genealogical Society of South Africa as the vice-chairman. The Genealogical Institute of South Africa will have access to the HSRC's genealogical collection, as well as to the databases of the PE Genealogical Research Group of Prof. Gideon de Kock.
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