Fivty days to census

Every single person in South Africa will be counted in Census 2011, and on the 50-day countdown, President Zuma spoke of its importance.
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has launched the 50-day countdown to Census 2011, urging the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the employed and the unemployed, the learners, the educated and the uneducated countrywide to “stand up to be counted” on 9 and 10 October.

Stand up and be counted, says President Jacob ZumaStand up and be counted, says President Jacob ZumaData from the census will be used to distribute government services and allocate state funds equally. “We need to know and understand so that we can plan, implement, monitor and evaluate outcomes of our development endeavours,” said Zuma, speaking from the seat of government at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Joburg’s northern neighbour, on Monday, 22 August.

Zuma said it was important to gather information from the level of every village, suburb, farm, ward, municipality and province. “We call on all residents of South Africa to get ready for the count, as we launch the 50-day countdown.”

Recent estimates put South Africa’s population at 50 million; however, Zuma said the census would give authorities accurate demographic and socio-economic data. “We need to know if that is true and how that population is distributed in terms of our settlements.”

It will be the third national population and housing census to be undertaken since 1994. Apart from individuals, the focus is on collecting data on housing characteristics and services. The last count was 10 years ago, in 2001. It showed that 44,8 million people were living in South Africa.

More than one million households were counted in Joburg and a population of 3,2 million was recorded. The upcoming census is expected to be the most complex yet, and the results are expected to be released in March 2013.

Questionnaires
There will be three questionnaires – one for households, one for institutions and the third for itinerant people. Zuma said enumerators would go door to door to almost 15 million households, using all 11 official languages, including French and Portuguese to accommodate migrants.

Former Proteas cricketer Makhaya Ntini is Census 2011 ambassadorFormer Proteas cricketer Makhaya Ntini is Census 2011 ambassadorThere are 75 questions in the Census 2011 questionnaire, and the interview to complete it should take no longer than 45 minutes per household. “There is no other resource which provides a comprehensive picture of South Africa’s population and our households as does the census data,” said Zuma.

It would also help South Africa track its progress with regards to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, adopted by heads of states in 2000. “Census 2011 will present us with another opportunity to understand how far we have gone and what challenges, including new ones, need to be attended to.”

The country’s statistician-general, Pali Lehohla, said the count would enable policymakers to enrich South Africa’s response to its challenges. A census wanted demographic data, the statistics on number, the distribution and characteristics of people living in South Africa.

“By undertaking a census today, we prepare a legacy for our children, a legacy built on evidence and facts, a legacy whose development and growth can be sustained. We urge all our citizens to open their doors to the census enumerators who will engage in this count,” Zuma said.

The four essential features of the census are:

Individual enumeration;
Universality within the agreed territorial boundaries;
Simultaneity: conducted at the same time for all persons; and
Defined periodicity.
For more information on the census, telephone the toll free hotline on 0800 110 248 or visit the Census 2011 website.