South Africa’s fourth census, the process of recording and collecting data of the country’s population and other important aspects, is underway.
Proceedings began nationally on Thursday (03/02), after the campaign had been launched in the Free State on Wednesday. Conducted by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), this will continue until 28 February.
This is South Africa’s fourth census since 1994, with the first ever held in 1996, followed by the one conducted in 2001. South Africa’s third census in 2011 found that the population had increased from 40,6 million in 1996 to 51,8 million.
This year’s census involves both digital population counting and face-to-face meetings by fieldworkers who count the homeless, transients, those in special dwelling institutions (SDIs) and hotels, as well as populations in communal living structures in the country.
According to Nthabiseng Chakela of Stats SA Free State Census, the process continues without disruption. She says about 7 553 households were registered online and 6 701 households had selected to do the web-based interview by close of online registration on Saturday.
“Of these, 1 289 preferred telephone interviews and 511 registered for face-to-face interviews and will be enumerated together with the rest that did not get the chance to do online registration,” says Chakela.
She says trained fieldworkers have been deployed across the province.
“Currently fieldworkers are on the ground conducting face-to-face interviews in all settlement types as per their work allocations.
“The collection is in the initial stages. The counting does include geo-referencing for every individual dwelling and special dwelling institutions in South Africa. Where there are new developments, we are able to create those new geo-points by adding them on the frame, so that we ensure everyone can be, and is, counted,” says Chakela.
