STATISTICS BUDGET DEBATE: DEPUTY MINISTER MHLAULI CALLS FOR FACTS OVER FEAR, RESOURCES FOR RESULTS

Cape Town – 2 July 2025

In an impassioned address during the Budget Vote Debate for Statistics South Africa (Vote 14), Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, underscored the critical role of evidence-based decision-making in a democratic, developmental state, calling for increased public trust in official statistics and adequate funding for the country’s national statistical office.

Quoting the philosopher John Locke, Mhlauli opened by reaffirming that belief and policymaking must be based on probability and evidence, not sentiment or speculation. She emphasized that Stats SA is not just a data-gathering institution, but a foundational pillar of informed governance.

“We cannot legislate in the dark,” she declared. “We must see the full picture – clearly, accurately, and regularly.”

KEY ISSUES HIGHLIGHTED IN THE SPEECH

1. STATISTICS AS THE BEDROCK OF GOVERNANCE

Mhlauli reinforced that official statistics are central to policy formulation, development planning, and accountability, particularly in the context of the new Government of National Unity. Stats SA, she noted, must be the trusted, neutral provider of facts that enable collective action across political divides.

2. EXPANSIVE 2025/26 WORK PROGRAMME

Stats SA is set to release over 290 statistical reports across economic, social, and environmental indicators. A key innovation is the Continuous Population Survey, a modular data collection system that aligns with the District Development Model, offering more localized and frequent insights for targeted intervention.

3. CHALLENGES OF PUBLIC TRUST AND PARTICIPATION

The Deputy Minister raised concern over declining participation rates, with fieldworkers facing resistance and mistrust in communities. She stressed the need for public education and outreach campaigns to rebuild trust in the integrity of data collection processes.

To this end, Mhlauli led a community outreach in Gugulethu and Nyanga earlier in the day, engaging citizens directly in demystifying Stats SA’s work. “Statistics are not just numbers – they are our stories, our struggles, our progress,” she affirmed.

4. ROLE IN DISASTER RESPONSE AND SOCIAL RESILIENCE

Mhlauli acknowledged the impact of natural disasters, including recent floods, and positioned Stats SA as a key enabler of disaster response and recovery, providing data on vulnerability, migration, housing, and service delivery.

5. THE YOUTH DIVIDEND

With a national median age of 28, Mhlauli highlighted the untapped potential of the youth as a demographic dividend. However, she warned that this potential would only be realized through education, employment, and health investment — all of which require data to plan and measure effectively.

6. UNDERFUNDING AND VACANCIES THREATEN EFFECTIVENESS

Mhlauli issued a strong warning on inadequate funding and persistent vacancies within Stats SA, stating these pose a serious threat to its credibility and capacity. A well-resourced national statistical system, she insisted, is “not a luxury, but an essential endowment” to the country’s democracy.

7. STATISTICS AMENDMENT ACT TO ENHANCE CREDIBILITY

She praised the Statistics Amendment Act (No. 29 of 2024) for strengthening professional independence and coordination across government, especially in light of recent public debates questioning unemployment data. Mhlauli clarified:

“Stats SA does not create unemployment. It measures it. Stats SA does not make policy. It informs it.”

8. MODERN CHALLENGES REQUIRE MODERN RESPONSES

She outlined the growing global challenges confronting statistical agencies: mistrust in institutions, digital exclusion, misinformation, and rising data collection costs. To overcome these, she called for:

• Digital transformation
• Data literacy investment
• Community partnerships
• Reinforced statistical independence

CLOSING REMARKS

Deputy Minister Mhlauli closed by honouring Stats SA’s professionals for their “quiet dedication” and called on Parliament to match this dedication with resources, legislation, and political will.

“Let it be said that we chose not to govern by instinct, nor by ideology alone – but by truth, by facts, and by evidence.”

As Budget Vote 14 is considered, her address was a call to action: for governance grounded in data, for citizens engaged with evidence, and for a future built not on fear, but on fact.