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South Africa Census 2022 Faces Challenges Amid Undercounting Issues

Published October 13, 2023
1 years ago

South Africa's 2022 Census has landed in troubled waters with signs of significant undercounting, sparking fears around the government's ability to plan accurately. According to Statistician General, Risenga Maluleke, the Census was designed to provide a comprehensive national count; however, the target fell considerably short with a 31% estimated population undercount.



Anja Smit, a development economist from Stellenbosch University, highlighted that the census results were pivotal in government funding allocations and population-level planning for the subsequent decade. The data primarily informs the Provincial Equitable Share (PES) allocation, and hence, coming as close as possible to a complete population count was imperative.


In a wave of discontent, numerous South Africans have voiced their concerns on social media, claiming that they were overlooked during the census count. Among the vocal critics were Kobus Rossouw from Hoopstad, Free State, Marina van Tonder from Eastern Cape, and Sharon Nagel from Maokeng, who all claimed they were never accounted for.



Smit cautioned that the large undercount could lead to inaccuracies in government planning and potential unrest as provinces may argue they are receiving less funding than owed to their population size. However, economist Dawie Roodt points out that statisticians utilise techniques permitting them to extrapolate data accurately despite an incomplete count of the population.


Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke confirmed there were 62 million South Africans last year, an increase from 51.7 million according to the 2011 Census. Dr Sibusiso Mkwananzi, a senior researcher at the University of South Africa, emphasised that no census worldwide can accurately account for every individual, which is why a figure known as "undercounting" is included in the census process.


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