By Thembi Siweya
This week, South Africa embarks on a 26-day population and housing census, which will provide planners with demographic and socio-economic data.
It’s a massive undertaking for the country and is an exercise whose results are eagerly awaited by a myriad partners involved in planning, policy, academia, forecasting and business.
If the separation of powers, the three spheres of the government, and the chapter nine institutions is what strengthens our democracy, then census-taking, led by Statistics South Africa, is what feeds information into our governance.
But a census is much more than just a tool for a head-count. A population census is the most complex and massive exercise a national statistical office undertakes.
In many ways, this is a unique exercise. Risenga Maluleke, the statistician-general, is required by law to initiate a census. Subsequent to that, a complex planning process ensues which culminates in an attempt to enumerate everyone who was within the borders of our country on February 2 this year – the census reference night.
It is, therefore, apparent to all of us who care deeply about policy-making, measurement, and monitoring and evaluation that a census is not a tick-box exercise for national statistics offices. The priorities of the government hinge on the data provided by the population and housing census. For the government, a population and housing count gives fresh statistical data that is used for budget allocations by the Treasury.
It also gives insight into performance in relation to the implementation of government policies and programmes. As the government, we are hoping that the census data can give insights into how far we are in terms of meeting the National Development Plan.
However, a census is much broader than just providing data for use by the state, economists, academics, scenario planners and even food producers use census data.
The data provides bread-and-butter issues for many users in society.
It is imperative for everyone to get behind the census. There is a lot that is dependent on the success of the census and require maximum participation at all levels.
Stats SA has created platforms for all South Africa to participate and announced that this would be the first digital census. Many are waiting to see how Stats SA manages to deliver a digital census in a country like ours where world-class infrastructure in some places contrasts with underdeveloped areas. The indications we have from the statistical agency is that this census will prove that South Africa can navigate the contradictions and deliver a successful census.
Three years of preparatory work has come down to the final 26-day population and housing count. It is one thing to plan, but a whole new ball game to revise plans due to a global pandemic. This is a largest survey a country undertakes and we expect a lot.
However, the census does not end with the 26-day count. I have had many people telling me that they have never been counted. After the main census is done, there is a quality-assurance exercise called a Post-Enumeration Survey, or PES.
The survey samples 1% of the country and does a repeat visit to determine whether the household was counted and the accuracy of the data that was collected. The PES helps to determine the undercount, or how many households were missed during the main census. This information is used to adjust the count to ensure that it reflects an accurate population count.
We owe it to the public. We owe it to the more than 17 million households who respond to a census questionnaire. We are indebted to the 165 000 fieldworkers who will be sent to all corners of the country.
A census is for public good. Let’s get counted.
*Siweya is the deputy minister in the Presidency and an ANC MP.
** The views expressed here may not necessarily be that of the IOL.