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Strict Oversight Needed to Ensure the Accuracy of the Next Census

Dear Editor

During a Portfolio Committee meeting on Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation on Friday, Statistician-General Dr. Risenga Maluleke presented a report on Census 2022.

The DA welcomes the comments from StatsSA, that as we plan for the next census we need to conduct “an enhanced advocacy campaign” to educate citizens, encouraging them to engage with census staff and make sure they are counted.

Particularly in light of the inevitable shortcomings of the 2022 Census. Conducted between the fourth and fifth waves of Covid 19, census workers faced enormous logistical challenges. In our high-crime society, citizens were often afraid of engaging with Stats SA workers. With an undercount of 31% of our population, the 2022 Census failed to provide an accurate picture of our population, which is a fundamental responsibility of StatsSA. The undercount will distort national planning, undermine service delivery, and exacerbate inequality, especially in vulnerable communities.

The delayed Post Enumeration Survey and skewed population counts at local district and municipal levels further highlight the breakdown in this critical process. Millions of South Africans will feel the consequences of such inaccuracies, particularly in the fair distribution of healthcare service vaccines, and local government funding.

While we acknowledge StatsSA’s efforts to innovate through digital data collection, these reforms must go much further. Census 2031 must be a turning point, with a clear goal of reducing the undercount to below 5% – a non-negotiable standard in a democracy.

The DA will hold StatsSA accountable for delivering on this commitment. During the next five years, we will maintain strict oversight throughout the preparations for the next census to ensure the failures of 2022 are never repeated. South Africans deserve reliable data for equitable planning, and we will fight to ensure this happens.

Regards

Katherine Christie MP
DA Deputy Spokesperson on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

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