Accurate statistics are essential in the country’s fight against poverty as they give policy makers a picture of its scale. That is why Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has embarked on a National Living Conditions Survey to identify and profile poverty in the country, revealed its Stats SA’s field operations manager, Thabo Manchidi, from Johannesburg.
Once concluded, the survey will indicate sections of the population greatly impacted by poverty, hard-hit areas and what drives poverty.
In Johannesburg, Manchidi said that the information would be used to update the public about the progress of the poverty index and to see if there was anything lacking. Besides, he added, the statistics were used to update the consumer price index of goods and services which were used to track inflation.
The information will be collected in a period of 12 months, using a questionnaire consisting of four modules, as well as two weekly diaries which will capture household expenditure and acquisitions.