Staff shortages are crippling Stats SA
18 November 2020
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is concerned by the increasing decimation of Statistics South Africa due to chronic underfunding.
Following consecutive periods of under funding for the last 10 years, StatsSA is now struggling to retain its already minimal staff.
New information presented to the portfolio committee of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation today shows that 116 staff members left the entity in the current financial year. This brings the vacancy rate to over 20%, which is unacceptably high for StatsSA to deliver on its mandate of producing evidence-based statistical research and conducting the population census.
According to the Statistician- General, Risenga Maluleke, the staff departure includes some of the “most senior and experienced” personnel. This has an adverse impact of the size and quality of the work Stats SA conducts.