By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli has urged leaders at Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) to prioritise credible data and scientific evidence to support effective governance, economic planning and social development.
Mhlauli was speaking on Wednesday at Stats SA’s Integrated Business Planning Session at the Kopanong Conference Centre in Benoni, where the focus was on aligning the agency’s work with government’s broader policy architecture and development goals under the 7th Administration.
“All our plans, programmes, and priorities are anchored in the Medium-Term Development Plan, the MTDP, which serves as the central strategic framework,” Mhlauli said.
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“The MTDP is not an abstract policy instrument. It is a practical roadmap that translates electoral mandates into measurable outcomes, sets national priorities, and provides the basis for accountability across Government.”
Mhlauli highlighted the central role of high-quality statistics in shaping policy, tracking progress and strengthening service delivery across sectors. She said Stats SA remains indispensable to South Africa’s strategic planning framework, with the MTDP relying on credible and timely statistics to identify risks early and enable corrective short-term action.
“We are living in profoundly VUCA times. Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity define our global and national context,” she said.
“The Global Risks Report released this week by the World Economic Forum reminds us that climate instability, geopolitical tensions, economic fragility, technological disruption, and misinformation are converging in ways that continue to test institutions and leadership worldwide.”
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She said decision-making informed by the Global Risks Report needs to be anchored in scientific, informed and credible data, warning that policies and investments that are not data-driven can be ineffective and harmful.
Mhlauli also acknowledged ongoing challenges within the country’s statistical system, including capacity constraints—particularly in specialised and technical areas—as well as funding pressures.
“Underfunding does not only affect outputs. It affects data quality, innovation, responsiveness, and the ability of Stats SA to keep pace with emerging demands such as big data, predictive analytics, and integrated data systems,” she said.
Mhlauli noted that the Statistics Amendment Act has been implemented and remains a keen interest in Parliament. She said the act highlights “coordination of official statistics across the state and reinforce the authority of the Statistician-General”.
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“These are not criticisms for their own sake. They are signals from Parliament that Statistics South Africa matters, that expectations are high, and that the institution is seen as a cornerstone of a capable and developmental state,” she said.
She added that government is taking the issues raised seriously and is working to ensure Stats SA continues to serve the Cabinet, Parliament and South Africans “with credibility and excellence”.
Turning to the 7th Administration’s priorities, Mhlauli said the “Cabinet has committed itself to accelerating inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty and inequality, strengthening state capability, improving service delivery, and restoring public trust in institutions”.
She said the framework will emphasise implementation, impact and accountability, and that demand for high-quality, disaggregated and timely data will grow.
“As technology accelerates, as challenges become more interconnected, and as citizens rightly demand transparency and accountability, the role of the statistics community becomes not just relevant but indispensable,” Mhlauli said.
Mhlauli reiterated that statisticians’ work contributes directly to shaping South Africa’s future, and that their insights are a building block for a more resilient country.
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