The countrywide community survey that will collect geographic, social and economic data from 284 000 South African households got under way on Wednesday with no hitches, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said.
The survey will help assess the effect of socio-economic policies and measure municipal service delivery.
Households that are approached ”have a duty and an obligation to answer questions” addressed to them, as ”we are mandated by the government to collect information for statistical purposes from the public”, said Stats SA spokesperson Simon Boshielo.
The importance of the survey will be explained to residents who are approached.
”Although this is not the desired outcome, the Stats SA Act would be used against people who don’t comply with the field workers. This would eventually lead to the parties being taken to court.”
The Act mandates Stats SA to collect information from the public.
For the survey — the first of its kind in South Africa — 284 000 households will be visited in 17 089 areas. It will be conducted from Wednesday until February 28 by 5 800 field workers wearing yellow shirts and blue caps.
The field workers also carry an official Stats SA identity card and drive vehicles marked with the Stats SA community-survey logo.
The survey was launched by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel last month. At the time, Manuel said the survey would allow the government to provide services and to plan with an understanding of trends and patterns.
The minister also encouraged South Africans to share information about their households and themselves.
The survey is meant to bridge the information gap that has occurred in the 10-year interval between censuses. Its results will be published in October this year. — Sapa