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Western Cape Premier Gerald Morkel has received several complaints by members of the public about the provision of condoms to Census 2001 enumerators. He objected to the perception that condoms form part of enumerators' Census kit by sending the following letter to the Statistician General of South Africa today (9 October 2001):

Mr P.J. Lehohla
Statistician General
Statistics South Africa
Private Bag X44
Pretoria
0001

Dear Mr Lehohla

CENSUS 2001: SUPPLY OF CONDOMS TO ENUMERATORS

As Premier of the Western Cape and overseer of our Provincial Government's support to Census 2001, I wish to raise my concern about your policy to supply condoms to enumerators.

I don't want to criticise the issuing of condoms per se, as the Western Cape Government fully supports each and every effort to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.

My concern however, is the perception created in recent media articles that Census 2001 enumerators received condoms as part of the material they were issued with for the Census. I refer you to the Sunday Times of 7 October 2001 in which Free State Census Manager, Owen Thothela, was quoted as saying: "The pack is for enumerators to use in their personal time, but it would be good if they had it with them in the event that something happened while they're visiting a house."

This will undoubtedly discourage people from opening their doors to enumerators and giving their full co-operation in the Census. Census 2001 is too important for our country to take that risk. In our already violent society, this kind of perceptions must be prevented at all cost. I therefore urge you to rectify this as a matter of utmost urgency.

Thank you ever so much. I look forward to your reply.

With kind regards

Gerald Morkel
Premier

Enquiries: Chris Koole at (082) 774 3462

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Western Cape, 9 October 2001