A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Demography and Population Studies, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa 2016 / Census taking dates back to the era of the Roman Empire as can be drawn from the gospel of Luke Chapter 2, Verses 1-5. Under the Roman rule censuses were conducted to keep records for individuals that were eligible for conscription into the army. Later during the colonial era, censuses were conducted to capture individuals that were eligible to pay tax. Currently censuses are widely used in guiding efficient planning and fair resource allocation. Content error, which refers to recording inaccurate information on captured individuals, and coverage error, i.e. either undercounting or over counting of people in a census, presents challenges in achieving these goals. Coverage error is frequent in censuses, especially undercount, which is of interest in this study. In countries that have a well-documented history of census taking like the United States of America, Canada, and China, there are indications that respective censuses recorded substantial numbers of people that were missed. Nigeria and South Africa are some of the countries in Africa where high undercounts have been recorded in censuses. The latter country, which is the focus of this study, recorded undercount estimates of 10.6%, 17%, and 14.6% in the last three censuses of 1996, 2001, and 2011 respectively. These high undercount estimates were the source of controversies that have been associated with the three censuses. The controversies centred on the accuracy of the Post-enumeration Survey (PES). Critiques argue that the PES has been inaccurate in estimating and adjusting the undercount in the respective censuses. For this reason, the accuracy of both the undercount estimates and adjusted counts drawn from this method has also been contested. [Abbreviated abstract. Open document to view full version] / GR2017

This study analyses the 1996 South African population census from a feminist perspective by focusing on the questions pertaining to the household. It considers the issue of gender power relations operating at the level of the household and challenges the underlying patriarchal ideology embedded in the census itself. The study into households is situated within the context of current development discourse and practice, and is premised on the role of the census as a key national resource providing information on all sectors of society. Individual structured interviews were carried out with members of the census task team who provided valuable insight into the process of census making. Interviews with academics and activists working on gender issues were also conducted. A semi-structured focus group discussion was conducted with five women living in the Molweni district in KwaZulu-Natal in August 1998 to gather information on productive, reproductive and community managing work and activities. The study makes an argument about the importance of including unpaid reproductive work in our national statistics. The census questionnaire is analysed and a few adjustments are recommended that may allow for the inclusion of unpaid, reproductive labour in the national statistical system. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

Small towns can be seen as the fundamental building blocks of tbe urban system. Through time, some of these towns have lost the primary reason for their existence. Some towns that have been declining or stagnating include old mining and industrial towns, such as Indwe in the Eastern Cape or Welkom in the Free State. Some towns have also changed the main focus of tbeir economy, for example, from that of mining to that of tourism, as in the case of Utrecht in Kwa-Zulu Natal (Nel, 2002). In light of the above, this thesis seeks to critically evaluate what has happened in selected small towns in the Eastern Cape. The research investigated a number of towns in the Eastern Cape, looking at the history and influence of colonisation, population dynamics, education levels, employment opportunities, migration and the influence of capitalism on the economic and social structure of the town, as well as tbe evolution of its economy. The research sample consisted of interviews witb local historians, community leaders, development agencies and individuals who were benefiting from tbe various development initiatives/project in the towns. These interviews, in conjunction with the literature identified, were conducted in the selected small towns, assessing whether development was succeeding and, in conclusion, identifying witb reference to the study sites, what was learnt. The research process generated a number of lessons that need to be taken into consideration when attempting social and economic upliftment in small towns. These include: the need for leadership, support from the local population and the need for financial assistance to support and uplift the community. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in