The Census 2011 team from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) met delegates from the Congress of Traditional Leaders (Contralesa) in Johannesburg on September 12 as part of a critical attempt to manage the undercount experienced in the 2001 census.
An undercount refers to the people who are missed during the enumeration stage of the national census and, if the figure is too large, it can render inconclusive results. The 2001 census had an undercount of 17%, translating into one in five people missed. The international benchmark for an undercount is 5%. Analysis of the 2001 census highlighted hard-to-count groups that are traditionally difficult to access. They include high-walled and gated communities, farming communities, immigrants and those in rural areas.
The 2001 census was broken down into 103?576 enumerator areas (EAs) in South Africa, of which 30?024 were classified as traditional EAs falling in rural areas. These 30?024 EAs comprised 4.6-million dwellings of more than 16-million people. In the 2001 census, 14.1% of the undercount was located in traditional areas, with the Eastern Cape comprising 29.7% of this figure, Limpopo 25%, KwaZulu-Natal 23% and the Northern Cape 1%.
Understanding census 2011
Pali Lehohla, statistician-general of Stats SA, wants to bring about a reverse of the 2001 undercount situation: “Because behaviour change around access is driven by people, strategic plans for Census 2011 have focused on engaging gatekeepers and people with influence within communities to improve access,” Lehohla said.
Lehohla’s presentation to Contralesa covered the nature of a census, timelines and the type of information made available from the census. As a total count of every person in the country on census night — the night between October 9 and October 10 2011, although actual data collection will take place from October 10 to 31 — the census estimates the population size and gives a comprehensive picture of the social and living conditions of people, among other statistics. Previous challenges to completing census questionnaires include concern about confidentiality, gaining access to properties and issues of demarcation and boundaries.
Lehohla stressed that the information was confidential and protected under the Statistics Act and that the census was politically neutral and thus not tied into boundaries. Current Stats SA logistical target areas include ensuring that enumerator recruitment is localised, acquiring training venues at a local level and acquiring district and satellite offices with connectivity.
Numbering structures
One of the major challenges in rural areas has been the lack of unique identification for structures. Traditionally, places in these areas are referred to either by the name of the person occupying the structure or in terms of its use. Although this is a reliable system for local inhabitants, it does not work effectively for service delivery or when conducting a census.
In 1998, Stats SA began Project Dwelling Frame to assist traditional settlements with unique identification. A pilot project was run in Batsalani Village in 2001 to iron out any teething problems. This project is still in process and will spread to other provinces.
Census 2011 progress
According to Stats SA, the planning and logistics for Census 2011 is on track, with 20-million questionnaires printed and all materials in the process of being forwarded to the provinces. The organisation is currently completing the listing process, in which structures are tabled and has set up a call centre for queries regarding questionnaires. The toll-free number is 0800 110 248.
Stats SA is finalising the recruitment of the 120?000 enumerators. Recruitment and training of co-ordinators and supervisors is complete. A large-scale publicity campaign to promote Census 2011 was started last year and the “know your enumerator” campaign starts this month.
Contralesa speaks
Addressing the meeting, which was made up of Contralesa national members, Stats SA and the media, Contralesa president Nkosi Phatakile Holomisa said that an undercount would have a negative impact on developmental planning and that traditional leaders required accurate statistics to promote rural development.
“Contralesa is best placed to assist,” said Holomisa, explaining that part of the role of traditional leaders is to note births, deaths and marriages, as well as to develop sites for the community. He focused on employment, saying that traditional leaders could identify the people in villages who qualified for enumerator employment, reminding the audience that the 1927 Native Administration Act, also known as the Bantu Act, originally gave the authority of the census to traditional leaders.
Contralesa members agreed with employing enumerators from local areas, but raised the issue that attempts to be part of the process had not resulted in employment. They wanted agreement that enumerator recruitment for rural areas would be conducted through tribal authorities and wanted further information about general employment opportunities. There was agreement that Contralesa could offer its tribal authority offices as satellite offices and that it would be willing to assist in deploying materials.
There was a great deal of interest in Project Dwelling Frame, the unique structure-identifier initiative, with calls to extend the framework to include street mapping. The definition of population groups was discussed, with a Khoisan representative asking for unique identification in the questionnaire, explaining that the Khoisan would not answer the population-group question in its current format.
Stats SA responds
Statistician general Lehohla noted that the issues raised during the consultation had “punched some holes” in the census process. A number of the issues raised would require going back to the drawing board but, with only 27 days to go, this was impossible. However, Stats SA would create a programme to remedy the issues as far as possible. The issue of the Khoisan population group would be handled in training and would include an addition to the coding system.
Lehohla noted that race classification as a concept was problematic for a number of people, but was necessary to track development post-apartheid. Twenty percent of the 120?000 enumerators, equaling 24 000 people, fall under traditional-leader jurisdiction. The current Stats SA strategy is to check that candidates come from villages and at least have a matric. People can move to get the job, says Lehohla, but Stats SA will continue to monitor the process.
In terms of distribution, Lehohla asked that tribal authorities assist Stats SA by making space available for the “know your enumerator” poster campaign. Both Stats SA and Contralesa spoke about sustaining their partnership and working together in strengthening statistical infrastructure within the Contralesa framework. As Lehohla put it, “everybody counts”.
History of the census in South Africa
According to Pali Lehohla, the statistician general of Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the first South African census was conducted in 1796. It was named the Cape Colony Census and included details on the master-slave relationship. The Census Act of 1914 was one of the earliest Acts in South Africa. By 2014, the statistical process in South Africa will be 100 years old. During the 1970 census, only 5% of the information on the black population was processed, in contrast to 100% of the data on the white population. With a census in 1980 and then one in 1985, there was a shift towards conducting a census every five years. Lehohla said that this was driven by the then government’s desire to know whether the homeland system was succeeding.
The 1996 census was the first time the entire country was covered and the first democratic census. The 2001 census was the second full count. “A census mirrors the political system and as the country moves forward, the census will reflect that,” says Lehohla. “A census is a constitutional leg of a democracy. It’s conducted so that we know ourselves and can create a better life for all by gaining knowledge.” Stats SA is mandated by the Statistics Act No 6 of 1999 to carry out a census every five years. The 2007 census was a large-scale community survey, as work had to be done to reduce the large undercount from the 2001 census. Results for Census 2011 will be released on November 30 2012.
Governance, past and present
Formed in 1987, the Congress of Traditional Leaders (Contralesa) represents progressive traditional leadership within South Africa. Contralesa’s website defines the organisation as a community of leaders that wishes to continue its traditionally held roles within a modern context. The challenge for delegates is to be included in the country’s governing system. A traditional leader is a hereditary position. Contralesa general secretary Kgosi Setlamorago Thabejane says that the details differ from culture to culture but, within Pedi tradition, a traditional leader is the first son born out of the marriage between the wife and the most senior royal member.
This article originally appeared in the Mail & Guardian newspaper as an advertorial supplement