Census 2022 to take place between February 3 and 28
JOBURG – This year, 17 million households will be targeted in the census which will cost around R3.2 billon.
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) is gearing up for its fourth statistics collection drive.
According to Stats SA, 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.
During the census, data about the country’s socio-economic dynamics will be collected – this includes people’s living conditions, access to basic services, income, etc.
This information is necessary as it guides crucial discussions and policies on future budget allocations, population growth, urbanisation and evidence-based decision-making.
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Thembi Siweya said, “I am pleased that we can now have fresh data to help us with policy formulation and evidence-based decision-making. Conducting a census is key as the census is the only source of small area data.”
Stats SA is mandated by the Statistics Act (Act No. 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 the producing of official statistics.
Section 16 of the Statistics Act obliges respondents to answer all questions they will be asked by a Stats SA official. Census 2022 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. It will further allow the respondents to access the census questionnaire remotely, thus enabling Stats SA to reach populations in all settlements.
Stats SA field workers, over 148 000 of them nationally, can be identified by means of their identification card which displays their details along with the yellow bib they will be wearing with the Census 2022 and Stats SA logo. Additionally, they will have a yellow backpack with the Census 2022 and Stats SA logo. This year’s census will cost around R3.2 billon and is targeted at reaching 17 million households.
Stats SA will also be visiting hotels, lodges, hospitals, correctional centres, old age homes and other communal living quarters to collect data. Foreigners have also been encouraged to partake in the activity.
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