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The Statistician-General has assured the Standing Committee on Appropriations that Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) stands firmly by its Census 2022 data despite facing several challenges. During today's briefing, Stats SA highlighted several pressing issues, such as budget constraints, vacancy rates, and questions regarding the credibility of its data.
 
Stats SA reported that the high vacancy rates and the inability to fill critical positions have significantly impacted staff morale. The Statistician-General stressed that this was not the first time its data was challenged. He reaffirmed their robust data collection methods, standing by the accuracy of their statistics.
 
The committee expressed concerns that high vacancy rates could fuel perceptions that the entity produced unreliable data. To address these challenges, the committee further recommended that Stats SA establish closer working relationships with university professors and the private sector. The committee said urgent funding of Stats SA of around R295 million is needed to stabilise the entity.
 
Committee Chairperson, Mr Mmusi Maimane, said, “Statistics is not about people collecting data but an engine that helps inform our policy decisions, budget allocations to national, provincial, and municipal governments, and ultimately our long-term objectives as a country.” Mr Maimane said that Stats SA is losing critical staff and financial sustainability, and if more people leave the entity, it runs the risk of total collapse.

Additionally, the committee suggested that Stats SA adopt innovative outreach strategies, leveraging tools such as social media, to engage with the population more effectively, especially as the world increasingly relies on mobile technology for handling big data.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Appropriations, Mmusi Maimane