South Africa is piloting the country’s first digital census, which will be conducted in localised areas via online and telephonic data collection platforms.

According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the trial run is in preparation ‘for remote data collection in the upcoming Census 2021’.

The pilot requires respondents to register through an online platform that is available on the Stats SA site and on social media. The telephonic data collection enables respondents to participate in the census with the help of a Stats SA call-centre agent.

The regular national census determines the demographics and socio-economic and living conditions of the population. The data collected is used to shape policy formation and decision-making at government level.

The pilot, currently under way, is expected to run until early September.

18 August 2020
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