In 100 days from today, Statistics South Africa will undertake a population and housing census, Census 2022, from 2 February next year. This will be the fourth population count since 1994. Stats SA will recruit about 165 000 temporary field staff from across the country for fieldwork activities that include data collection, clerical, administrative and other roles. Registration to the Stats SA Recruitment data is now open and will close at the end of 2021.

“This is a key milestone as we finalise our plans for Census 2022. We will be recruiting temporary field staff, dissect the country into enumeration areas, train fieldworkers and roll-out a public awareness campaign,” said Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke.

The 2020 Round of Population and Housing Censuses was approved by the Statistical Commission at its 46th session, but due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the census had to be postponed to February 2022. Stats SA was given the green light by the Stats Council and the Census Advisory Committee to go ahead with Census 2022 and as such, build up activities will be in full swing over the next 100 days.

“The impact of COVID-19 is still with us, but we will follow all the regulations and observe all the safety protocols, starting with recruitment and training of field staff in the lead up to Census 2022,” said Maluleke.

“We are mindful of the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic will drag on into 2022, and we are taking every precaution on our part to ensure everyone’s safety,” the Statistician-General continued.

The census is one of the primary sources of data needed for formulating, implementing and monitoring policies and programmes aimed at inclusive socio-economic development and environmental sustainability. It will give the country and policymakers data to measure a wide range of facts about our society.

The recruitment database opens today 25 October 2021 until 31 December 2021. To register on the database, visit www.statssa.gov.za/hr. Registration on the database is datafree, and no payment is required to register for employment opportunities at Stats SA.

Issued by Lesedi Dibakwane on behalf of Stats SA, 25 October 2021