Source: Western Cape Provincial Government
Title: Van Schalkwyk: Census 2001 results a mix of good news & challenges for W Cape
STATEMENT BY THE WESTERN CAPE PREMIER, MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK, ON THE RESULTS OF THE 2001 NATIONAL CENSUS RELEASED ON 8 JULY 2003
CENSUS RESULTS A MIXTURE OF GOOD NEWS AND CHALLENGES FOR THE WESTERN CAPE
The results of Census 2001 released today by Statistics South Africa reflect a mixture of good news and challenges for the people and the Government of the Western Cape. Our Provincial Government will now closely analyse the results of Census 2001, which will provide invaluable information to assist us in policy development and planning.
It was expected that the results would indicate a significant growth in the population of the Western Cape since 1996. This is both as a result of natural population expansion as well as considerable levels of migration to the province. Our Provincial Government has for some time held the belief that the population of the Western Cape was undercounted in 1996 - a belief based in part on the level of demand for social services in the Western Cape, and now confirmed by the 2001 results.
We are gratified to see that social development indicators like access to education, employment, and basic services like water and electricity continue to point to the Western Cape as a province whose people enjoy above average standards of living in South Africa - although we know too that much remains to be done to expand and deepen these critical areas of delivery in all of our communities.
With services like health, education, social and infrastructural services already significantly over stretched in the Western Cape, it is clear from these results that the demand for these services will continue to grow, and the country's long-range plans should be adjusted to meet these growth patterns.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Stats SA and all of the staff, and volunteers who were responsible for Census 2001. It is our belief that these results provide very necessary updates on the population growth and development patterns, and we would be unlikely to favour the suggested change to a census once every ten years instead of every five - especially in light of the rapid change in the Western Cape's population growth.
Enquiries: Riaan Aucamp, cell: 083-778-9923
Issued by the Office of the Premier, Western Cape Provincial Government, 8 July 2003
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