Sampling methodology and fieldwork changes in the October Household Surveys and Labour Force Surveys

The 1999 October Household Survey was the first time that Statistics South Africa introduced a master sample of Enumeration Areas. There were several important changes in sampling and fieldworker practice that accompanied the introduction of the master sample of Enumeration Areas, which have not been systematically documented and which make comparability of the surveys undertaken by Statistics South Africa before and after this time difficult. We document these changes in this research note and provide evidence that these changes were partly responsible for the odd trends in the total number of single-person households estimated from the October Household Surveys and the Labour Force Surveys, as well as rapid increases in employment, in the late 1990s.