A call to contribute to nation’s financial wellness

Unisa fieldworkers will be in Diepsloot West Ext. 6 over the next few weeks and will be compiling all the data necessary to create a meaningful sample.

The citizens of South Africa are being called upon to participate to ensure accurate sampling and representative results. Approximately 2 500 households will need to be polled between now and the end of November. According to Professor Bernadene de Clercq, Head Personal Finance Research Unit at Unisa, “There is currently no index in South Africa constructed on a holistic approach to determine comprehensive financial wellness across all households. Other indices have only applied limited criteria and are thus not comparable.” If the public is approached, they are encouraged to complete the questionnaire. Professor De Clercq said fieldworkers will set out to determine each household’s balance sheets and will require household financial information. This information is strictly confidential and the public can rest assured that it will only be used to complete the survey.

The 2013 Index reported the average state of South African households’ financial wellness deteriorated for the second consecutive year. The main reason for the deterioration was ascribed to a worsening in the wellness situation of supposedly financially healthy households, rather than poor households becoming more financially unwell. The results for this year’s report is well anticipated. Professor de Clercq concluded, “We wish to thank everyone who will participate in it. It is after all, somewhat of a civic duty and one that will benefit everyone in our country as we strive towards a society built on financial inclusion and empowerment.” Fieldworkers can be identified by ID cards, formal letters and branded T-shirts.