Statistic South Africa’s (Stats SA’s) Budget Vote for its Medium Term Strategic Framework came before Parliament yesterday. It carried with it a diagnostic report of the challenges and opportunities that our country can leverage to improve its socio-economic conditions – and the necessary resources that this entity requires to continue to be the pulse of the state of the nation.
“This entity shoulders this expectation because it is the one that provides government departments and entities with relevant statistical information to plan for their short-, medium- and long-term socio-economic goals and scenarios,” said the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Hubert James.
“The strategic frameworks of the state are informed by statistical information provided by Stats SA, which publishes more than 200 statistical releases per annum. To improve the dire prognosis of our country’s state of affairs, there is a need to cultivate a state capable of undertaking the developmental and transformative agenda that drives its resolve for a better life for all. This requires the state to formulate and implement policies that support this role.
“And the budget is one vital instrument to address Stats SA’s prognosis of the state of our affairs, for it serves as a tool to advance government activities and priorities aligned with its Medium Term Strategic Framework. But most of all, the budget is an instrument that highlights both the constraints and trade-offs in policy choices which could affect the health of Stats SA in the future,” he said.
These are encapsulated in the committee’s observation and key findings on this entity. Its principal concern is “the high staff turnover imposed by budgetary constraints reflected in the compensation of employees, which makes it impossible for it to retain staff due to counter-offers and promotions. This is coupled by its high vacancy rate”.
Of major concern to the Chairperson, is that some of its projects have been discontinued due to lack of funds. “We have encouraged it to devise a strategy to continue implementing its set projects with the allocated budget.”
According to him, what is most pleasing is that government institutions are utilising its statistics as an evidence-based policy making mechanisms. “The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation has to ensure that statistical data is utilised in policy decision-making developing the Medium Term Strategic Framework for 2020/24 and government programmes.”
The Chairperson also said there is a need to strive to find amicable solutions in the manner in which the Auditor-General South Africa audits the institution, to “take into cognisance the nature and the complexity of its work when auditing it, and that must not impact on its independence. And the sooner its budgetary constraints are solved, the better for its efficiency in its future scenario planning for the country”.
We should err on the side of budgetary generosity when it comes to StatsSA, said Mr Yusuf Cachalia. “This institution has an impact on the analysis of data that allows for a cogent evaluation of where we are, how we should improve with what effect. As such, it should be given the wherewithal to provide reliable and high-quality data and information because official statistics should stand out as a trustworthy source of information.”
But most importantly, he pointed out, it should stay abreast of best practices across the statistical community because “data is the lifeblood of decision-making and raw material for accountability”.
Our representative democracy hinges on the work of StatsSA, said Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa. “It ensures that each community gets the right number of representatives in government because representation is based on population.”
But it also determines the equitable distribution of public funds, he said. “It is therefore important that the department makes considerable effort to ensure that it improves the accuracy of population and social statistics in rural and under-developed areas in order to facilitate better service delivery. This attests to the fact that policy-making remains key to this country’s success,” he proclaimed.
Mr Mzwakhe Sibisi reiterated the significance of StatsSA to issues of national importance. As such, the institution “needs a highly competent staff that embodies intellectual capabilities to lead the scientific work of statistics”.
The failure to build capacity impedes on the optimal functioning of Stats SA, Mr Solly Malatsi said. And he was dismayed by “government’s failure to invest properly in the capacity of Stats SA, something that will enable it to fulfil its obligations of producing accurate statistical information”.
By Abel Mputing
11 July 2019
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