Stats SA's KZN community survey results 'an eye-opener'

Statistician General Pali Lehohla handed over the survey results to Mchunu at the Dube Trade Port north of Durban last night.

The survey shows that the poverty headcount in the province has decreased from 10.9% in 2011 to 7.7% in all district municipalities with eThekwini at 3.8%.

Lehohla says while poverty has decreased, unemployment is still a challenge especially in Newcastle and Danhauser.

"Now by 2016, Msinga's poverty head count is 24. Twenty-four in 100 are now poor compared to 60 in 100 fifteen years ago. This is the progress that has been made and you can see how poverty has been fought in KZN," he said.

Mchunu says the results tell a story that needs to be attended to by the province.

"When you give statistics and we look at how many of our youth seem to be migrating outside than it also tell us a story which we must interrogate properly - why should they leave?" he said.