Bulamahlo base station for Census enumerators

Bulamahlo along with Relela Thusong Service Centres in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality is amongst the many centres identified countrywide for training of Census 2011 fieldworkers.

The nine-day training started on Heritage day and will end on Monday, 3 October. The fieldworkers will embark on the “know-your-fieldworker” campaign upon completion of this training.

Statistician-general, Pali Lehohla says “the campaign is in response to security concerns when the call was made for everyone to open their doors for census staff. The campaign is meant to alleviate fears that criminals may use the census as a way of breaking into people’s homes.”

Lehohla says the “know-your-fieldworker” campaign introduces the fieldworker to the community where they will be working. “This is done by means of posters that will be put up within the enumeration area between October 3 and 8.” The posters will have a photo of the fieldworker, their name, their cell phone number and a toll-free number for the call centre if residents are not sure who is at their doorstep.”

Signet Manganyi 21, is amongst the trainees and is looking forward to the “great count.” He passed matric 3 years ago and had always dreamed of studying for GIS at any university in the country, but has never had enough money to register for the qualification.

Manganyi says with the money he will earn from this count, he will be able to register. “The money will not be enough to cover for all my immediate needs, but I hope I will be able to register at a university and hopeful get aid through student financial assistance programmes, such as NSFAS.”

Statistics South Africa is also partnering with the Department of Basic Education in the learner ambassador programme. Through this programme, they expect pupils to spread the word about census and encourage families to participate.