Statistics South Africa will conduct the country’s third population and housing census from 10 to 31 October 2011 which could create employment opportunities for tens of thousands of Eastern Cape residents.
Statistics South Africa will conduct the country’s third population and housing census from 10 to 31 October 2011 which could create employment opportunities for tens of thousands of Eastern Cape residents.
According to the Census 2011 provincial executive manager, Zandile Nkosiyane, more than 23 000 people in the Eastern Cape have been trained and employed as advance "scouts", collecting important information that is needed before the count even starts.
“Presently we are doing listings of dwelling units. In preparation for Census 2011 we have demarcated all areas into smaller units,” said Nkosiyane. “The listers are doing verification of dwelling units in these small areas.
“Within an area you get old and new structures. We are listing all these structures. The purpose is to enable the fieldworkers to count every area and not leave any gaps. We are doing the listings to make sure that the count is effective.”
Nkosiyane said the Eastern Cape has employed 939 fieldwork coordinators, 4 669 listers and 18 000 enumerators (fieldworkers).
The enumerators can be recognised by their blue bibs when the census gets under way in October, as they go from house to house. They will spend around 40 minutes at each household, asking the 75 questions contained in the Census 2011 questionnaire.
R1.7 billion will used for this year’s Census and government believes the high costs are justified. “This project is value for money. It assists government in service delivery, and it helps government identify areas that are lacking basic services,” said Nkosiyane.
According to the Census 2011 website, a census aims to collate demographic data in terms of the number, distribution, and characteristics of people living within the borders of South Africa.“Census is not only about counting people,” said Nkosiyane. “What we also want to find out is how the government is supporting people when it comes to providing basic services for them.”
Previous census data had the population at 39 million in 1996 and 44 million in 2001.
The government and Statistics South Africa say a census is important for gathering information about education, employment and health, so that policymakers can better respond to the challenges facing the country.
Speaking at the 50-day countdown to Census 2011 at the Union Buildings earlier this month, President Jacob Zuma said, “There is no other resource which provides as comprehensive a picture of South Africa’s population and our households as does the census data.We need to know and understand, so we can plan, implement, monitor and evaluate the outcomes of our development endeavours.
