Work Programme - Statistics South Africa

If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it. If you cannot diagnose the magnitude of the
to know what progress you are making towards resolving the problem, and it is impossible to
distinguish departure from arrival, failure from success, and progression from regression. South
of life for the majority of our population is a result in large part of the immense and lingering effects
of apartheid. Seventeen years into democratic rule the scourge of low life chances for a better life
for Thandi and her peers persists. Thandi is a female and one of the 1,2 million infants born 18
years ago. She is one of the 1,4 million 6, 7 and 8-year-olds who started school in January 1999,
right issues, creating the appropriate policies and taking the critical actions to make a difference
plan to succeed, we all depend on evidence so that the political choices we make and policies we
implement are evidence-based, sterile and devoid of whim and caprice.
4
Two years ago Statistics South Africa presented a strategic plan for 2010/11–2014/15 to me,
the Council, and Parliament. This strategy represents the most coherent set of actions that places
South Africa on the right path for political management and governance. The strategy holds the
promise that enables me to measure and therefore manage the national plan. The strategy holds
Census 2011, the results of which we expect by November this year. Through the build-up to
executing Census 2011, Stats SA developed durable capacity and a survey footprint to deliver the
short, the necessary tools for the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) that will transform the life of
the strategy. Major focus is on expanding economic statistics and enabling South Africa to engage
in knowledge-based trade arrangements. Furthermore, the strategy stresses the implementation of
the South African National Statistical System, and through coordination, the Statistics Act (Act No.
6 of 1999) can be implemented in full to better inform South Africa on imperative development.
Hence, we can know better and clearer what we need to do and to correct. I am aware that the
to this evidence.
I want to thank and express my sincere appreciation, especially to the Chairperson of the Statistics
Council, Mr Howard Gabriels, for dispensing the statutory oversight responsibility regarding the
comfort levels in using the statistics in our planning endeavours. I want to thank the Chairperson of
I thank the Statistician-General, Mr Pali Lehohla, and his staff for leading this organisation for the
past decade and shaping it into the effective institution it is today.