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GEORGE NEWS & VIDEOS - A group of fieldworkers for Stats SA in George refused to continue with their daily task of collecting information for Census 2022 earlier today, Friday 11 March.
The group of about 45 fieldworkers came together in Cradock Street opposite the Stats SA regional office in George.
Christinah Dyonase, a spokesperson for the group, said they were most upset because they still haven't received their payment for February.
"Our contract stretched over one month, and ended on 28 February. They asked to extend our contracts to 20 March, because of technical problems. All the work is still not done - but it is not a problem on our side. Now they don't want to pay us the amount of roughly R7 000 per fieldworker for the February contract, and said they will give us an advance.
"We were supposed to get the 'advance' on 10 March, then 11 March, and today they tell us they might only be able to give us that 'advance' on 18 March, but said there are no guarantees. This is unacceptable."
Fieldworkers of Stats SA in George protest about not receiving payment for their February contract. Photos: Michelle Pienaar
Furthermore the group said they have been told earlier today, by a representative of their office, that they will not get any pay if they don't work. An attempt to make contact with the head of the district office proved unsuccessful.
The two officials in reception both said the director, Me Langenhoven, is unavailable.
When asked for an e-mail address, they repeated that she is unavailable for communication. George Herald will reach out to the provincial office for comment.
According to Zinzi Mfundisi, one of the fieldworkers, they have made contact with officials at the Cape Town Office and were informed that they do not bear any knowledge of the situation in George.
VIDEO: Stats SA fieldworkers in George strike
Technical problems
Head of Stats SA in the Western Cape Patrick Kelly said this afternoon that Stats SA is doing their utmost to make sure field workers in George and elsewhere in the Garden Route District receive an advance before or by 18 March.
“Staff were recruited in February, on different days,” said Kelly. “The census was originally going to end by 28 February, but we experienced several technical problems with the collection application (on the tablets), which resulted in an extension of the contracts. This is not the field workers’ fault, but we have to finish the work before the contract ends.”
He said the contracts were extended until 20 March, and that a field worker could earn up to R5000 extra for those days.
“Payment would have come at the end of the period and with the completion of the work on 20 March. However, it was a national decision to give an advance so that the field workers are not out of pocket. There was nothing in the contract that said we have to give an advance, but we think it is fair practice.”
Kelly said not all the staff members maybe fully understood the technicalities of the contract.
“It is a fair complaint that they did not receive their advance today. For most staff we promised the money on the 10th, but it came on the 11th.
"The transfer of data took longer than anticipated, load shedding didn’t help either. Colleagues in George especially had a problem and we experienced more difficulties than in other areas. It is not really fair on the George field workers, but it would have been unfair to those whose information was already captured and processed if they did not receive their advance today.”
“Our commitment is by 18 March, and we are working for it to be before the 18th.”
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