Statistics South Africa is facing a crisis, in the short term at least, in its attempt to improve the quality of its output. This is according to Dr Hillary Southall, chairperson of the Statistics Council.
Southall describes the agency as being “woefully short of capacity” and says that if it is left unattended it will just “fall apart”.
She spoke to the Mail & Guardian in the week in which finance minister Trevor Manuel announced in the National Treasury budget vote moves to improve capacity.
Stats SA has frequently come under criticism, which Manuel concedes is sometimes justified.
In 2003 the agency had to restate inflation figures for the preceding two years.
Last year Stats SA had to withdraw manufacturing statistics after a query from a news agency.
Southall says the required skills are “just not in [South Africa]”. She says that the agency needs to attract people from statistical agencies in First World countries with the experience to grasp the sophisticated nature of the South African economy.
This has been difficult even though prospective candidates have been asked “to name their price”.
Manuel announced that the agency will bring three senior statisticians from Australia and Canada.
But Southall points out that retired professionals have been in place for some two years, on a rotating consultation basis.
“They have had a huge impact,” Southall says, especially in the area of economic statistics. But the agency still needs demographers and other specialised statisticians.
A long-term solution is a “massive training programme” in practical statistics for “thousands” of graduates. This would also benefit other government departments.
Stats SA spokesperson Trevor Oosterwyk had not responded to the M&G‘s questions by the time of going to print.