The South African National Statistics System SANSS Leading

The South African National Statistics System (SANSS) Leading the development and coordination of statistical production December 2021 1

Outline • Official statistics – Definition – Role • Statistical value-chain • The Statistics Act • Rational behind SANSS • Functions of SANSS • Role of Stats SA • Strategy for implementing • Activities and projects 2

Definitions Official statistics’ definition is statutory – see Statistics Act Official statistics are statistics designated as official statistics by the Statistician-General within the provisions of the Statistics Act Practical criteria of official statistics • Must be used in the public domain • Are from organs of state and other agencies that are partners in the National Statistics System [NSS] • Are sustainable • Have met quality criteria as defined by the Statistician-General [SASQAF] National statistics’ definition is implicitly statutory – see Statistics Act National statistics are statistics not designated as official statistics 3 by the Statistician-General

The role of official statistics In a democracy, reliable statistical evidence is needed to: • Inform development planning, decision – making and resource allocation. • Report on outcomes by assessing and measuring performance and progress. • Design interventions through programmes, policy and projects. • Facilitate democracy and promote transparency, accountability and social debate. 4

Official statistics 5

Statistical value chain 6

Legislation • Statistics Act: – SG to coordinate production of statistics produced by other organs of state – Minister to approve or disapprove statistical collection by other organs of state • SASQAF: – quality requirements must be met to qualify as “Official Statistics” 7

National Statistics System • Basic rationale behind a national statistics system: – integrate all statistics produced in the country into a single system which ensures quality, sufficient statistical capacity and data to fulfil user needs NSS Economic Statistics Health Statistics Economic Health Education Labour Vital Social Education Statistics Integrated Labour Statistics System Vital Statistics Social Statistics 8

Statistical Production system in SA Stats SA Official Line Ministries Input information Process information Statistics Output information Registers/Administrative records Outcome information Impact information Surveys Policy analysis Sector statistics standards 9

In practice. . . Impact Outcome Policy Analysis Output End 10

What is the problem …. Where do we want to go? 11

How do we get there? 12

Policy document Statistical plans Social subsystem Statistical plans Partnerships Production Governance Technical Statistical units Surveys support Clearing house Census Body of statisticians Training Admin data Framework of engagement Advice Data collection Statistical Frames (Business frame, dwelling frame) products Collection approval Standards setting Assessment 1. Quality 2. Acceptable 3. Questionable 4. Poor SASQAF Quality criteria Standards, procedures classifications, Certification STATISTICS ACT Evaluate Increased official statistics for transparency, accountability, evidence-based results NSDS Economic subsystem plans Coordination OUTPUT quality FUNCTIONS of the SANSS = partnership of users &producers to promote to advance quality, comparability and avoid duplication =optimum use of official statistics 13

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Strategy for implementing the NSS Maintain decentralised system of statistical production Advocate for a culture of measuring for results Transform all national statistics into official statistics Integrate data [MSSI] using common standards • definitions • frames • classifications • methodology Use official statistics to ensure quality • SASQAF (quality framework) • Framework of best International practice • UN Principles of Official Statistics Facilitate statistical capacity building in departments “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” (David Kaplan) 15

Strategy for implementing the NSS Transform existing departmental data into sustainable sources of official statistics • More use of administrative data than of surveys – § administrative data easier to sustain; and § costs relatively little to collect Departmental Statistical Units • National cadre of official statisticians • Subject matter statistical activities 16

Strategy for implementing the NSS Implement a national governance structure • Statistics Act (No. 6 of 1999) empowers the SG to coordinate national statistics beyond Stats SA • Stats SA is the statutory organ of state for official statistics. • Responsibilities – Set standards (including protocols) for the NSS – Monitor quality in the NSS – Certify statistics of all organs of state as official statistics on meeting the required standards – Manage data access protocols, including archiving of NSS data – Facilitate for statistical capacity building in the NSS – Provide technical support in areas mentioned 17

Activities and projects • Reporting – Ten-Year Review – MDGs Whose data shall I use? Where do we start? Challenges – Lack of baseline data – data gaps – whose data to use – uncertain quality What’s the quality of such data? 18

Whose data shall we use? 19

Activities and projects • Indicators and M&E – Provincial development indicators • Quality – Training on SASQAF, quality assessments Challenges • Indicators and M&E – Weak M&E systems, lack of data where the action is, sub-provincial / municipal data needs, weak statistical capacity, outsource knowledge • Quality – Beyond training: Implementation of SASQAF, administrative records 20

Activities and projects • Capacity and statistical support – Statistical support (surveys, data analysis, IDPs, training on survey processes, data inventory and data needs assessments, Wo. P) Challenges • Capacity and statistical support – Requests for surveys at advanced stages, weak capacity for collection 21

So where are we now? • Office of the Premiere KZN NSS has formal partners - Customer Satisfaction Survey • e. Thekwini Municipality - Collaborative Research Study 22

So where are we now? • e. Thekwini Municipality - PSC: Large firms Survey: • Economic Development Governance structure Steering Committee Joint Working Parties - Action working group 5: PGDP • KZN Co. GTA - Task team: Eradication of bucket systems in KZN • SALGA - PSC: Migration trends in KZN 23

So where are we now? Standards and protocols SASQAF Strategy Kwa. Zulu-Natal Government Research Forum - Development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Research Activities. 24

Thank You 25