Most of us start every year with proclamation of goals we would like to attain in that year. For some, however, these are just resolutions for New Year’s Day and are quickly forgotten as soon as the first month of the year ends. As we put 2013 – the year in which we laid to rest the first president of a democratic South Africa, Tata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela – behind us and welcome the New Year, we urge you to plan ahead and wish you a successful 2014. As South Africa also celebrates 20 years of freedom, we encourage you to vote in the country’s 5th general elections on 7 May.

Nearly 12 years after the conclusion of the second Anglo-Boer war and four years after the formation of the then Union of South Africa, in 1914, the Union government enacted the Statistics Act, 1914 (Act No. 38 of 1914) meant to provide for the “collection of statistics relating to agricultural and to industrial, commercial, shipping, fishing and other business undertakings and other matters”. This year the organisation born out of this piece of legislation, Statistics South Africa, is celebrating its centennial anniversary.

In this issue of Mbalo Brief, we begin a new series of Census 2011 educational articles highlighting census results at district and metropolitan municipality level. The focus is on the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in this issue. We look at the metro’s population growth in 2011 in comparison to 2001 and 1996, average household income, access to housing, education levels, and access to basic services among others.

Solutions for November’s puzzle and a new general knowledge crossword puzzle are included on page iv. Our regulars on price indices and industry performance are also included in this issue. Articles published in this issue are based on results of industry surveys conducted for the months ranging from October to December 2013 which were released in January and February 2014. For full details on any of the surveys, visit our website at www.statssa.gov.za

Here’s to achieving those New Year’s resolutions! Download Mbalo – Brief February 2014