Stats SA visits Mamelodi to strengthen trust
The engagement also provided Stats SA with an opportunity to demonstrate to residents how they can verify the identity of field staff through the website.
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) officials have engaged with the community of Mamelodi to address misinformation and strengthen public trust in the National Data Collection processes.
The engagement took place on April 14, led by the Statistician-General Risenga Maluleka, near the Mamelodi Fire Station in Mamelodi East.
Maluleka said lately they have witnessed a lot of misinformation and disinformation about Stats SA staff members’ involvement in criminal activities within the community.
He said councillors have done everything in their power to give community members the right information.
“The message was hijacked by those who seek to misinform and they turned the message around that the members of Stats SA are actually involved in criminal activities,” said Maluleka.
“No, that’s not the case, the same members of Stats SA whom we can see by carrying their brands on T-shirts and brands on their cars continue to do a lot of great work in the community.”
Maluleka said the information Stats SA conveys is always meant to promote its work and agents.
He described the community engagement as a platform for Stats SA to engage directly with community members, to clarify their data collection processes, and reassure residents about the safety, integrity, and professionalism of their field workers.
The engagement also provided Stats SA with an opportunity to demonstrate to residents how they can verify the identity of their field staff through their website.
The session was attended by Stats SA senior officials, community leaders, and local law enforcement.
“The main aim is to reconnect with the community and we will be doing so in all almost all the communities where we are doing the work. The engagement is to say to the community ‘here we are as Stats SA and this information we are collecting is very critical for planning for national, provincial and local government’.”
ALSO READ: New number for Pretoria Central police station
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
