Key Development Research Involvement

Over the last decade, we have been part of a team that has conducted over 4 national sample surveys, worked with a multiplicity of in-country partners, and provided survey technical assistance in South Africa.

Formed part of a team of consultants who, together with the Institute of Democracy in Africa (idasa.org), designed and implemented the 2009 South African Local Government Score Card that provide baseline indicators on the state of local government service delivery in South Africa.

Worked with idasa to provide Technical Assistance (TA) to the South African Council of Churches, in organizing, implementing and reporting on the non-partisan observation of the 2009 South African National Elections. In the follow-up, we formed part of think-tank group that worked with the South African Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to define and report on "Knowledge Management" best practices for the IEC.

Was appointed national survey coordinator for the Round 5 (2011-2012) Afrobarometer survey in South Africa, to especially oversee the entire survey process of sampling, development of customized field tools/guides, data management, interviewer training and all process reports – and reporting directly to the Afrobarometer project management unit in Accra, Ghana. The TA included management of sampling and fieldwork training as well as supervision of fieldwork implementation, data management and survey reports. During 2010, was part of a team that designed and implemented the 2010 Afrobarometer policy users’ survey in South Africa, targeting policy actors across state and non-state institutions on the use and preferences for opinion survey data.

During both Round 4 (2008) and Round 5 (2012) Afrobarometer Surveys, we worked with the Institute Democracy in Africa (idasa), Institute of Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), Plus 94 and Statistics South Africa (StatsSa) to design, allocate and select nationally representative survey samples in South Africa. The sample is a random, nationally representative, stratified, area-cluster probability sample of the adult (18 years and over) population across the 9 Provinces, race divide and urban/rural strata, with +/- 2% margin of error. The key challenge for drawing a nationally representative sample for South Africa has always been access to the official national sampling frame, especially as the national frame is not readily shared with users and is segmented.

The surveys were conducted in the language of respondent’s choice including English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Venda, and Zulu across the Provinces of Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, Western Cape. We directly participated in national partner assessment, interviewer training, in-fieldwork supervision and data management.

Since 2012, we have worked with StatsSA to draw a representative national sample for the Afrobarometer survey in South Africa, working with Plus94, Citizen Surveys and other research partners at the University of Cape Town and the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation (IJR).

With input into quality assurance, we are honored to have directly contributed to the successful completion of now five (5) national sample surveys in South Africa, including surveys conducted in 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018 surveys.