Stats SA to conduct first technology-driven census
Stats SA fieldworkers will be trained on Covid-19 safety protocols as per the Department of Health’s guidelines.
Census 2022, conducted by Statistics South Africa, will be the first digital population count and will give the respondents the option to complete the census questionnaire with or without the assistance of a census fieldworker.
A census is the total count of a population whereby all people, including children, babies, homeless people and foreign nationals within the borders of a country, are counted.
Census 2022 will be conducted from February 2 to March 7.
A census collects data about a country’s socio-economic dynamics – people’s living conditions, access to services and income.
Stats SA is mandated by the Statistics Act (Act 6 of 1999) to collect data for official statistics and to conduct a census.
In terms of section 17 of the Act, information collected on individuals and their households remains confidential.
The Act also makes it obligatory to provide data to Stats SA fieldworkers administering questionnaires for producing official statistics.
For the first time, Stats SA will allow the respondents to access the census questionnaire remotely, thus enabling the department to reach populations in all settlements.
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The multi-modal approach to data collection includes:
• Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI), which involves face-to-face interviews with a census fieldworker who will visit households and also collect data from populations in transit/travelling, homeless and special dwelling institutions (hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, hospitals, police and military barracks, prisons and boarding schools, nursing homes).
• Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI), which enables the respondent to complete the census questionnaire online after registering.
• Computer Assisted Telephonic Interview (CATI) whereby the respondent completes the census questionnaire telephonically with the assistance of a Stats SA official.
Households can now register for the CAPI and CAWI methods of data collection on https://getcounted.statssa.gov.za (data-free) or call 0800 110 248, toll-free.
Stats SA fieldworkers will be trained on Covid-19 safety protocols as per the Department of Health’s guidelines.
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