LIES, DAMN LIES & STATISTICS

Jeff Radebe, Minister to the Presidency, recently participated in a parliamentary budget debate on performance management and evaluation. His address was a classic illustration in the art of cherry-picking with the aid of rose coloured glasses in support of the government's contention that people's lives were getting better. In citing outdated statistics he asserted, for example, that head count poverty had been reduced between 2001 and 2011. He likewise relied on outdated statistical data to demonstrate an increase in 2014 post-school enrollment. Statistical data he provided to demonstrate an improvement in the overall standard of living was likewise outdated, devoid of data in relation to present day living standards. Radebe's rosy view of South Africa flies in the face of a recent damning report by statistician-general, Pali Lehohla regarding South Africa's marginalised society, particularly its youth, who are without education and sustainable employment. According to Lehohla only 38%of young people have matric, and 1% have a university degree. He believes South Africa's youth face "a cocktail of disaster". Statistics are pliable, easily manipulated, misleading, and ordinarily only tell a fraction of the story. Compare the stories of both Lehohla and Radebe as to who fails to tell the whole story - it is not a brain-teaser.