Census 2022 starts this week and continues until February 28.

The closing date to register on Statistics South Africa’s data-free platform (https://getcounted.statssa.gov.za) has been extended to February 5. All people wanting to complete their questionnaire online or through telephonic data collection – and not be visited by a field worker – must register.

WATCH: Stats SA spokesperson Trevor Oosterwyk tells Izak du Plessis more about Census 2022, including how people can participate in this compulsory event, and what they can do to keep themselves safe from opportunistic criminals.

Census Night is on Wednesday (February 2). Stats SA says on that night, field workers will count the homeless, the transient population and those in communal living quarters, such as prisons and old age home.

“We are counting everyone, irrespective of nationality or citizenship, within the borders of South Africa,” says Trevor Oosterwyk, spokesperson for Stats SA.

At least 160 000 field workers will ask people where they spent the night of February 2.

“In this way, we take a snapshot of South Africa on the night of February 2,” says Oosterwyk.

Census 2022 is the first digital population count and will give respondents the option to complete the census questionnaire with or without the assistance of a census fieldworker or call centre agent. It will further allow the respondents to access the census questionnaire remotely, thus enabling Stats SA to reach populations in all settlements.

There are three ways to be counted:

• A Stats SA representative will visit your house for a face-to-face interview, using a digital device to capture your data.
• You can complete an online questionnaire remotely.
• You can complete the questionnaire remotely, with the assistance of a Stats SA agent, accessed by a call centre.

Oosterwyk says there is an auditing system in place that will enable Stats SA to identify people who have not completed the questionnaire.

“If you don’t register, an agent will visit your home to remind you that you should be counted.”

The questions are broken down into three main sections: Geography, people, and households.

1. Geography: This includes provincial and municipal boundaries.
2. People: This includes race, gender, language, age, internal migration, citizenship, education, and labour status.
3. Households: This section quantifies the type, size and ownership status of dwellings; access to water, toilets, electricity and refuse removal; distribution of household goods and internet access.

Oosterwyk says no one may refuse to be counted. It is a democratic responsibility and penalties may apply to those who refuse to co-operate.

“However, we prefer people to do this voluntarily, even if they are bound by law. I don’t like to use scare tactics for this job,” says Oosterwyk.

For more information, visit https://census.statssa.gov.za/ or contact the call centre on  0800 110 248.