In 2014, South Africa will celebrate 20 years of a democratic dispensation. It is an opportunity to look back at where we have come from, assess where we are, and reflect on how far we have to go to ensure that all South African’s basic needs are met.

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has conducted three population censuses since we achieved democracy in 1994. The first of these, in 1996, provided baseline data on where we were as a country. The next two, in 2001 and 2011, give us a picture of the progress we have made, and what remains to be done.

In order to make comparisons across the three censuses easy, Stats SA has released a new product. This database contains variables which have the same definition across all three censuses. These variables have been mapped to the 2011 municipal and ward boundaries.

Users will now be able to create tables which allow them to compare variables such as access to services across the three censuses.

The data is provided in SuperCross software packaged in CDs obtainable from the Printing and Distribution unit of Statistics South Africa.

The data is also available on Stats SA’s website (http://www.statssa.gov.za). To access go to “Tools” then click on “SuperWEB2” or click here

To acquire CDs

Contact: Anneline Bezuidenhout

Email: AnnelineB@statssa.gov.za

Any other enquiries related to the database:

Contact: Thanyani Maremba

Email: ThanyaniMar@statssa.gov.za