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The Census 2022 is even more important than the presidential State of the Nation speech. This is because the Census, in fact, reflects the nation’s actual state.
Census 2022 kicks off on Census Night – 2 February 2022 – when Stats SA will start counting the transient population at various sites across the country. Census Night is the reference night for a population count, and officials will include everyone within the country's borders on that night in the count. Populations in institutions, the homeless, hotels, lodges, the transients, hospitals and other communal living quarters are counted on Census Night.
Spatial Data Services Africa would like to encourage all South African households to register to be counted in the Census 2002. Stats SA extended the deadline for registration to 5 February 2022 and will collect the data telephonically or online* during February.
"The Census shows what we are, what we have and importantly, where in South Africa these facts materialise," says Burgert Gildenhuys, managing director at Spatial Data Services Africa. "It is the official statement of fact about ourselves. It exposes us as a nation and shows our weaknesses and strengths. In fact, it is the true antidote for fake news – it shows the raw reality of our progress or decline as a country.”
As Gildenhuys have indicated before, some key planning documents in local government still quotes 2011 figures as the best available data. However, the collected data from this year's Census will be the basis for all government planning and support strategies for the next decade. The Census transcends elections and government changes, an ongoing and ever-changing process.
"The Census is the golden thread in driving development over time, irrespective of who is responsible for those actions," says Gildenhuys. "It is essential for any development because if you don't count, you cannot quantify, if you cannot quantify, you cannot measure, and if you cannot measure, you cannot manage!"
*This is the registration link: https://getcounted.statssa.gov.za/
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