Thursday, November 3, 2011

Census 2011 must be used to promote equality and not to further divide and polarise South African society

By Marimuthu Subramoney
(aka Subry Govender)


The Census 2011 that is underway is of paramount and vital importance for the continued socio-economic development of our new non-racial and democratic South Africa.
The Census 2011, it is hoped, will provide accurate statistics about population figures, the unemployment situation, the housing backlog, and the state of our health, education and security services.
The Government needs the information so that it could plan for the next 10 years.
But, while this is a necessity and all of us must co-operate fully, there has been some disquieting developments regarding the Census in our areas.
Some residents have reported that they have been visited by Census enumerators who appear not to have been trained properly to carry out their work. These enumerators, mostly very young teenage boys and girls, fail to introduce themselves in a suitable or correct manner and merely ask the householders to fill in the forms. When they face negative responses from the people, the enumerators respond by saying they will leave the forms with the residents and return to collect them another day.
The question that residents are asking is who must fill in the forms - the enumerators or the residents?
We have been informed that enumerators are responsible for asking the questions and filling the forms.
Another point of concern raised by residents is the huge number of questions - 75 in all - that the people must respond to. In many instances - the questions appear to be unnecessary and irrelevant. It's understood that some of the questions are about your personal health and your "bank balance". Of what relevance is this?
Another question is about "race". It's not clear for what reason this question has been included but it seems that race has become an important factor for the post-apartheid Government in our national affairs. It seems that the Government wants to ensure demographic representativity in all areas of life, including government departments, private work places, educational institutions, and the economy.
While it is absolutely necessary to right the wrongs of the past and to promote equality, it's hoped that the obsession with race will not lead to further polarisation and racial discrimination of a different kind. Already many people who consider themselves to be part of the former oppressed allege deliberate marginalisation and discrimination in their work places, especially in parastatals such as Transnet, Escom, SABC and SAA.
Our quest for a prospersous and peaceful non-racial society should not be sacrificed because of our preoccupation with race.
Despite the shortcomings, we need reliable statistics to ensure that our national debate on key national and local issues are conducted in an informed manner.
The new Census must help to build the new South Africa that former President Nelson Mandela talked about in his inaugural speech on May 10 1994.
He said: "We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination.
"We succeeded to take our last steps to freedom in conditions of relative peace. We commit ourselves to the construction of a complete, just and lasting peace.
"We have triumphed in the effort to implant hope in the breasts of the millions of our people. We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity - a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world. "
Taking into account what former President Mandela had said, it's, therefore, incumbent on all of us to co-operate with Census enumerators so that in the end the Government will be able to use the statistics to promote the well-being of all South Africans - and not to further divide and polarise the country. - Subry Govender, Chief Editor

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