Comparing Migration Data from Post-Apartheid Censuses: A Challenge for Longitudinal Research

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article reports on the first step in a larger project aimed at obtaining accurate and reliable data on migration in the South African context. It examines the comparability of questions relating to migration asked in the 1996, 2001 and 2011 censuses. It goes on to present migration data with respect to the Western Cape province and South Africa (as a whole) using those sources. The major findings were: (1) There are discrepancies in the wording of the questions used in the three censuses, but this does not prevent the drawing of meaningful conclusions about the historical trend in migration; (2) The extent of migration into the Western Cape is consistently greater than that into South Africa as a whole; and (3) The trend towards an increasing tendency to migrate was temporarily interrupted around the year 2000. The research reported on is an example of longitudinal research using existing data and illustrates some of the difficulties associated with this method of social research. Research which compares census data to other sources of data on migration will enhance researchers’ understanding of the extent of migration in this society.