Someone arrives at your gate, introduces themselves as a government fieldworker and asks to conduct a household survey. How do you check their story?

Statistics South Africa provides an online verification service and a call centre for exactly this purpose. Keep those details handy so you can check directly with the organisation.

Three checks before you proceed

• Ask for identification. Stats SA says its fieldworkers carry official photo ID cards and signed approach letters. Ask which survey the visit concerns.
• Verify independently. Use the official website rather than relying on a link supplied by the visitor.
• Call if you are unsure. Contact 0800 110 248 to check the person’s identity and purpose. Branded clothing and paperwork should support verification, not replace it.

These identification and verification channels are set out in Stats SA’s public guidance.

Why a legitimate fieldworker might visit

Household surveys happen outside census years. Stats SA’s published programme includes the General Household Survey and Quarterly Labour Force Survey.

The absence of a national census does not, by itself, make a survey visit suspicious.

What about that WhatsApp warning?

On 4 June 2026, Stats SA addressed recycled messages about supposed census-linked ID checks and fingerprint collection. It had previously clarified the issue in October 2025.

The organisation says its survey and census visits do not involve biometric collection, ID verification or fingerprint scanning. It also warned that genuine staff and vehicle photographs had been attached to misleading messages.

That warning should not be presented as proof of a new Johannesburg crime operation.

If something does not add up

Stats SA advises reporting suspicious activity to the nearest police station and bringing it to the organisation’s attention through its call centre.

For neighbourhood groups, share the official verification link rather than an unsupported accusation. Avoid circulating someone’s photograph as a suspected criminal simply because it appeared in a forwarded message.

The Bottom Line

Save 0800 110 248 and bookmark the verification page. Checking directly gives you a practical way to establish who is visiting while treating legitimate fieldworkers fairly.