Johannesburg – Census 2022 has kicked off for 2022. This time online. The first digital population count will allow South Africans to answer the questionnaire online. It is also the fourth census to take place under a democratic government. Registrations to answer online or telephonically have been extended to February 5. Speaking to Salaamedia, Chief director corporate communications at Stats SA, Trevor Oosterwyk explained that a census is used to collect valuable data on the citizens.
“Census is a phenomenon that Nation States use to get a picture of its people…. We then have a tapestry of information that we can then share with the Nation. This information, because the taxpayer pays for it, is available to every South African to use. I can give you an example. In Pinetown a week ago I got an urgent call from a lady who was setting up a pharmacy. They already rented a location where they put in shelves and things and then the health department told her ‘No you can’t do this because you don’t have the requisite size of population’ and she needed to know what was that size. So, for that business plan Statistics South Africa and the data generated through these processes became invaluable.”
Oosterwyk went on to say that the data collected helps the treasury and IEC as well.
“The treasury on the other end uses it. It will give them a provincial breakdown of the population size of the State, and they use it to slice the cake so that each province is given its equitable share by using the data. The IEC uses the data to demarcate voting districts per size of population because they cut up in the same way.”
Oosterwyk stressed that more people should participate and give the correct information so that the census can be more accurate and more helpful.
“The factor of accuracy is a factor of participation. The more people participate, the more quality of the data. The more people give us the correct information. Of course, you have the adage of garbage in garbage out.”
The census runs from February 3 to 28.
Julie Alli spoke to Trevor Oosterwyk, Chief director corporate communications at Stats SA, on News & Views. Listen to the full discussion here:
