/ 28 February 2007

Huge SA community survey wraps up

The largest household-based survey undertaken to date by Statistics South Africa officially wrapped up on Wednesday.

Survey workers had interviewed more than 232 673 families across the country — 85% of the total number of households sampled, said spokesperson Solly Kganyago.

A week of pre-planned ”mop-up” operations will follow the official completion date. ”During the last week of mop-up operations, the remaining 15% of families will be visited.”

The survey was launched in January to collect demographic, geographical, social and economic data at municipal level. The data will assist different levels of government and organisations with planning, implementation, and policy evaluation and monitoring.

”The survey results will be used in terms of national policies, assessing levels of service delivery and also whether we are on the road to meeting our Millennium Development Goals,” explained spokesperson Trevor Oosterwyk.

Results will be released towards the end of the year.

The Free State achieved a 100% response rate from households, and the Western Cape the lowest at 75,2%. — Sapa