The respondent or interviewer was required to circle all applicable disabilities for the person concerned.
Interviewer’s instructions offered some assistance with the definition of serious disability: ‘The question is subjective. Allow the respondent to decide on what he or she feels is a serious disability. As a guide, however, you can indicate that a serious disability is one which prevents the person from performing normal activities of daily living, for example, getting in or out of bed, dressing, washing or even working, without assistance or equipment.’
The data from this question should only be considered a rough indication of the incidence of disabilities in the population. Other sources of data, which incorporate rigorous definitions of what constitutes a serious disability, should be used as a supplement to this information.
A person may have more than one disability. The variable ‘Disability status’ incorporates the information from the first question on whether a person has a disability as well as the type of disability if a person had only one type. For more detailed information on the number (if more than one) and combinations of disabilities people may have, it is necessary to look at the data for the separate variables on sight, hearing, physical and mental disabilities.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q13 Does (the person) have a serious sight, hearing, physical or mental disability? (pre-coded)
Personal questionnaire: Q13 Does this person have a serious sight, hearing, physical or mental disability? (pre-coded)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons on household or personal questionnaires

Final code list
1 Sight
2 Hearing
3 Physical
4 Mental
5 Multiple
6 Type of disability not specified
7 No disability
9 Unspecified
8 N/A: Institution
N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See Disability status

Source
Household questionnaire: Q13 (pre-coded)
Personal questionnaire: Q13 (pre-coded)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons with a disability (on household and personal questionnaires)

Final code list
1 Sight disability
0 No
6 N/A: No disability
7 N/A: Unspecified
8 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See Disability status

Source
Household questionnaire: Q13 (pre-coded)
Personal questionnaire: Q13 (pre-coded)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons with a disability (on household and personal questionnaires)

Final code list
1 Hearing disability
0 No
6 N/A: No disability
7 N/A: Unspecified
8 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See Disability status

Source
Household questionnaire: Q13 (pre-coded)
Personal questionnaire: Q13 (pre-coded)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons with a disability (on household and personal questionnaires)

Final code list
1 Physical disability
0 No
6 N/A: No disability
7 N/A: Unspecified
8 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See Disability status

Source
Household questionnaire: Q13 (pre-coded)
Personal questionnaire: Q13 (pre-coded)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons with a disability (on household and personal questionnaires)

Final code list
1 Mental disability
0 No
6 N/A: No disability
7 N/A: Unspecified
8 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
A series of questions were asked of women aged 12 years or above to obtain information on fertility. The questions enquired as to the number of live births, the number of children still living, the month and year in which the first child was born and, for women less than 50 years of age, the number of live births in the preceding 12 months (since 10 October 1995).
The four variables included in final census data are:
No. of children ever born
No. of children still living
No. of births in last 12 months
Age of mother at birth of first child.
If no response was provided to the first question on children ever born, the subsequent responses were set to Not applicable. This was done to improve analysis of the questions which followed as it is not possible to interpret them accurately without the response to the first, key question.
The questionnaire included the instruction ‘Please include her children who are not living with her and those who have died’. Responses of up to 30 were coded for the number of children ever born. Responses greater than 30 were set to Unspecified.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q15.1 How many children, if any, has the woman ever given birth to? (live births) (write in)
Personal questionnaire: Q15.1 How many children, if any has this woman ever given birth to (live births)? (write in)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
Women aged 12 years or older

Final code list
0-30 in single steps
99 Unspecified
97 N/A: Males, females < 12
98 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See No. of children ever born
Women who had not had any children born were set to 0 for this variable. Again, an upper limit of 30 was used for responses.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q15.2 How many of her children are still living? (write in)
Personal questionnaire: Q15.2 How many of her children are still living? (write in)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
Women aged 12 years and older for whom there was a response to No. of children ever born

Final code list
0-30 in single steps
99 Unspecified
96 N/A: No. ever born unspecified
97 N/A: Males, females < 12
98 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See No. of children ever born
This variable was derived from the month and year when the woman’s first child was born and from her age. If either the year of the first birth or the mother’s age were unspecified, this variable was set to ‘Unspecified’. Also, the range of ages for the first birth was limited to 12 to 49 and any derived ages outside this range were set to ‘Unspecified’ as well.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q15.3 When was her FIRST child born? (live birth) (write in)
Personal questionnaire: Q15.3 When was her FIRST child born? (live birth) (write in)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
Women aged 12 years and older who have given birth to at least one child

Final code list
12-49 Age in single years
99 Unspecified
95 N/A: 0 children born
96 N/A: No. ever born unspecified
97 N/A: Males, females < 12
98 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See No. of children ever born
This question was only asked in respect of mothers born after 10 October 1946, i.e. those less than 50 years of age at the time of Census ‘96.
An upper limit of 9 was used for responses to this question. However, most responses greater than 4 are likely to be erroneous and this users may want to make allowance for this in their analysis.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q15.4 How many children (live births), if any, has she given birth to IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS (since 10 October 1995)? (write in)
Personal questionnaire: Q15.4 How many children (live births), if any, has she given birth to the last 12 months? (write in)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
Women aged over 12 years and under 50 years who gave a response to No. of children ever born

Final code list
0 - 9 in single steps
99 Unspecified
96 N/A: No. ever born unspecified
97 N/A: Males, females <12 or 50+
98 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
In order for users to be able to derive adult mortality information, questions were included to determine for each person whether their biological mother and biological father were still alive. As the respondent may not know whether the person’s parents are still living, allowance was made for responses of ‘Don’t know’.
Interviewer’s instructions clarified that the questions referred to the person’s biological parents.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q14.1 Is (the person’s) own mother still alive? (pre-coded)
Personal questionnaire: Q14.1 Is this person’s own mother still alive? (pre-coded)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons on household and personal questionnaires

Final code list
1 Mother alive
2 Mother not alive
3 Don't know
9 Unspecified
8 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See Mother still alive

Source
Household questionnaire: Q14.2 Is (the person’s) own father still alive? (pre-coded)
Personal questionnaire: Q14.2 Is this person’s own father still alive? (pre-coded)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons on household and personal questionnaires

Final code list
1 Father alive
2 Father not alive
3 Don't know
9 Unspecified
8 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
On household and personal questionnaires, questions were asked on:

• Highest school class/standard completed
• Any technical or artisan certificate, diploma or degree completed at an educational institution
• Whether currently attending school, college, technikon or university full or part-time

On special enumeration questionnaires, instead of these three questions, a single column was included for ‘Highest level of education completed’. Thus, the information available on the educational level of people enumerated on special enumeration questionnaires is not as detailed.
The variable ‘Highest education level’ summarises the information from the various questions on both questionnaires.
South Africa has twelve years of formal schooling. These are currently referred to as Grade 1 to Grade 12. In some cases a preparatory year, Grade 0, is also available for children who have not yet started formal schooling.
Prior to the introduction of the new grades there were a number of different systems for referring to the different school years. One system referred to Grades 1 and 2 as sub-standards A and B, and Grades 3-12 as standards 1 to 10. Another system referred to the last five years as Forms 1-5. In all systems the twelfth year is usually referred to as the matriculation year. In most systems the seventh year indicated the end of primary schooling.
The questionnaire included the example, when asking for certificates, diplomas or degree, of ‘e.g. teacher’s diploma, BA degree or NTC III’). Diplomas and post-school certificates are sometimes available to those without matric. Higher education thus does not necessarily imply completion of formal schooling. In the publications post-school without matric is in the same category as post-school with matric.
The category ‘Less than matric & qual’ is only applicable to people enumerated on household or personal questionnaires as information on the level of schooling of people with higher qualifications isn’t available from the special enumeration questionnaires. A problem with coding for special enumeration questionnaires meant that, originally, the same code was used for the categories ‘No schooling’ and ‘Other higher qualification’ – in the final data, persons 16 and younger were set to ‘No schooling’ while other persons were set to ‘Other higher qualification’.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q16.1/2 What is the highest school class/standard that (the person) has COMPLETED? Does (the person) have a technical or artisan certificate, a diploma or degree, completed at an educational institution? (e.g. teacher’s diploma, BA degree or NTC III) (If "Yes") What is the highest qualification he/she has? (derived from highest school class and qualification level)
Personal questionnaire: Q16.1/2 What is the highest school class/standard that this person has COMPLETED? Does this person have a technical or artisan certificate, a diploma or degree completed at an educational institution? (derived from highest school class and qualification level)
Special enumeration questionnaire: C9 Highest level of education completed (write in)

Applicable population
All persons aged 5 years or older

Final code list
01 No schooling
02 Grade 0
03 Grade 1
04 Grade 2
05 Grade 3
06 Grade 4
07 Grade 5
08 Grade 6
09 Grade 7
10 Grade 8
11 Grade 9
12 Grade 10
13 Grade 11
14 Less than matric & certif/dip
15 Matric only
16 Matric & certificate
17 Matric & diploma
18 Matric & Bachelor’s
19 Matric & Bachelor’s & diploma
20 Matric & Bachelor’s & honours
21 Matric & Master’s
22 Matric & Doctor’s
23 Matric & Other qual
99 Unspecified
97 N/A: Aged <5
Less than Grade 7 (regarded internationally as indicator of literacy)
Grade 7 and above

Notes for users
See ‘Highest education level’
This variable should be used where information on schooling only is required, regardless of any possible further educational qualifications. This variable is not available for persons enumerated on special enumeration questionnaires as information on schooling and higher qualification were not obtained separately.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q16.1 What is the highest school class/standard that (the person) has COMPLETED? (write in)
Personal questionnaire: Q16.1 What is the highest school class/standard that this person has COMPLETED? (write in)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons aged 5 years or older on household and personal questionnaires

Final code list
00 No schooling
01 Grade 0
02 Grade 1
03 Grade 2
04 Grade 3
05 Grade 4
06 Grade 5
07 Grade 6
08 Grade 7
09 Grade 8
10 Grade 9
11 Grade 10
12 Grade 11
13 Matric
99 Unspecified
97 N/A: Aged <5
98 N/A: Institution

Notes for users
See ‘Highest education level’
The question on post-school qualification consisted of two parts. The first part asked ‘Does the person have a technical or artisan certificate, a diploma or degree completed at an educational institution?’ and then, for persons with a post-school qualification, the second part requested the name of the qualification. The information from both parts of this question are combined together in the variables ‘Highest post-school qualification level’ and ‘Highest post-school qualification field’.
Information on the level of the qualification was based on the name of the qualification given by the respondent. Thus, the code was derived from the level associated with the name or abbreviation provided and not from a description of level.
The assumption was made that persons aged under 15 can’t have post-school qualifications and so they were set to ‘Not applicable’ for the qualifications questions.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q16.2 Does (the person) have a technical or artisan certificate, a diploma or degree, completed at an educational institution? If ‘Yes’, what is the highest qualification he/she has? (first part pre-coded, second part write in)
Personal questionnaire: Q16.2 Does this person have a technical or artisan certificate, a diploma or degree completed at an educational institution? (first part pre-coded, second part write in)
Special enumeration questionnaire: C9 Highest level of education completed (write in)

Applicable population
All persons aged 15 years or older

Final code list
01 Certificate
02 Diploma only
03 Bachelor’s
04 Bachelor’s + diploma
05 Bachelor’s + honours
06 Master’s
07 Doctor’s
08 Other
99 Unspecified
96 No qualification
97 N/A: Aged <15

Notes for users
See ‘Highest post-school qualification level’.
As only the name of the qualification was requested on the census questionnaire, the available information on the field of qualification is limited. For example, persons with a BA (Bachelor of Arts) may have majored in languages, history, geography, demography, philosophy or a range of other subjects but this information is not available from the census data. Originally qualifications were coded according to a detailed code list of fields but, given the limitations, only the summary data provided in this variable can be considered relatively reliable.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q16.2 What is the highest qualification he/she has? (first part pre-coded, second part write in)
Personal questionnaire: Q16.2 What is the highest qualification he/she has? (first part pre-coded, second part write in)
Special enumeration questionnaire: C9 Highest level of education completed (write in)

Applicable population
All persons aged 15 years or older

Final code list
01 Arts
02 Science
03 Law
04 Theology
05 Economics and management
06 Education
07 Medical sciences
08 Engineering
09 Administration and clerical
10 Protection
11 Building sciences
12 Technical
13 Computing
14 Veterinary science
15 Other
99 Unspecified
96 No qualification
97 N/A: Aged <15

Notes for users
See ‘Highest education level’
This question enquired as to whether the person was currently attending school, college, technikon or university and, where this was the case, distinguished between full-time and part-time study. The response options were:

No definition was given in the questionnaire of ‘full-time’ or ‘part-time’ and respondents were thus required to interpret these terms themselves. Usually this should not be difficult as educational institutions define courses as full or part-time. However, if the respondent is giving information on behalf of someone else they may not be aware of the details of a course.
The questionnaire included an instruction to the effect that correspondence education, but not pre-school education, were to be included. The instruction read as follows: ‘This includes study by correspondence, but excludes creche and pre-school.’
Analysis of the results of this question indicated that there may have been a problem with the quality of the data. Some responses to this question contradicted responses given to a later question. That is, some persons recorded as not studying for question 16.3 were recorded as being ‘scholar/full-time student’ for question 18.1 on usual activity. The cause of this problem is not clear but respondents could have mistakenly thought that the question on studying applied only to post-school institutions as it appeared after the question on post-school qualifications. Where responses contradicted, the response to the second question was considered to be correct and the variable ‘Studying status’ was amended accordingly. However, if users would prefer the unedited data, this is available from Stats SA as a special request.

Source
Household questionnaire: Q16.3 Does (the person) presently attend school, college, technikon or university? (pre-coded)
Personal questionnaire: Q16.3 Does this person presently attend school, college, technikon or university? (pre-coded)
Special enumeration questionnaire: Not included

Applicable population
All persons aged 5 years and older on household and personal questionnaires

Final code list
1 Yes, full-time
2 Yes, part-time
3 No, not studying
9 Unspecified
7 N/A: Aged <5
8 N/A: Institution