The Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Polokwane-based Faculty of Humanities, in partnership with the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM), hosted a public lecture at Bolivia lodge in Polokwane in its quest to empower people and make knowledge work.
The lecture focused on providing a practical perspective of the role of statistics in the running of state affairs, with Limpopo head of Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), Nthambeleni Mukwevho, addressing questions on the tools that the State uses to administer state affairs with precision of thought and action. In his capacity as Provincial Head of Statistics, he advises provincial and local governments, the business community, politicians, researchers and other Limpopo stakeholders on the correct use of official statistics as verifiable evidence and a basis for policy formulation, programme planning and providing services to citizens, as well as impact evaluation.
Prof Ricky Mukonza, the Faculty’s Academic Manager at the Polokwane Campus, spoke about the recurriculation of their programmes and introducing modules that will equip graduates to be relevant to the labour market. “Graduates in Public Affairs should appreciate the role that statistics play in the administration of the State, therefore one of the new modules introduced during the Department of Public Managements’ recurriculation process, was Statistics for Managing Public Affairs,” said Prof Mukonza.
Matlou Moloto, Faculty of Humanities, Nthambeleni Mukwevho, speaker from Stats SA at the Public Lecture and Prof Ricky Mukonza from the Polokwane Campus.
In his address, Mukwevho explained the role and importance of an independent Stats SA. “Stats SA is mandated to collect information and produce official statistics on various areas of lives of South Africans. It is regulated by the Statistics Act (Act No. 6 of 1999), remains independent from government and political influence, but is accountable to the Minister in the Presidency,” he said.
“Numbers are important to assist the State in its administration. The statistics we produce are about people, economy, living conditions and natural environment. We produce statistics for better understanding of South Africans. Statistics offer official evidence for how the State runs its affairs. However, it is not only the State that uses statistics to provide services; businesses also use statistics to know where and how to sell their products,” he added.
He explained the nine dimensions of the South African Statistical Quality Assurance Framework (SASQAF), including integrity, accuracy, relevance, accessibility, timeliness, interpretability.
Two discussants responded to Mukwevho’s presentation. Ms Kopano Hope Mnisi, Lecturer at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science and University of Limpopo’s Prof Daniel Maphosa, Associate Prof of Statistics, Department of Statistics and Operations Research, School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, summarised how policy makers can use the statistics in examples share by Mr Mukwevho.
Polokwane Campus Management Committee representative, Mogowe Madia, commended provincial policy makers, including two Deputy Directors General, one Municipal Manager, the Acting Secretary of Limpopo Provincial Legislature and other officials in provincial and local government, for attending the lecture.