LETTER: Good diagnosis on Stats SA, wrong remedy

Justice Malala (“Fiddling the numbers”, Home & Abroad, June 26-July 2) diagnoses the problem well but gives the wrong remedy.

Stats SA has an unbelievably large responsibility. Major budget and resource allocation decisions are made based on its reports.

Politicians should not interfere in the operations of any organisation, but they must exercise their right and duty to oversight. Stats SA is an entity under the purview of planning, monitoring & evaluation in the office of the presidency. Its lean budget, the census and other key performance indicators have all been raised, and a commitment in terms of feedback has been provided by the statistician-general and will be monitored by the portfolio committee on planning, monitoring & evaluation.

There are shortcomings, many of which stem from its budget. The fact that the minister in the office of the presidency and the minister of planning, monitoring & evaluation are two different people, both with deputy ministers, is also problematic. Finally, oversight is weak; the committee can only rely on the reports and figures it is given. 

Many of us do our own due diligence. We embark on our own oversight, engage with stakeholders outside meetings, research our own available data and then summons the appropriate bodies to our meetings and ask the tough questions. 

Mr Malala is correct that there is a problem with both the type of data and the way it is portrayed for the benefit of the government and its executive. However, there are committed politicians who are driven to ensure that the tough questions are asked and that state-owned entities and organisations are performing to the standards South Africans deserve. 

Darren Bergman, MP
By e-mail

The FM welcomes concise letters from readers. They can be sent to fmmail@fm.co.za