Pregnant woman loses out on census job

THE process of counting people for Census 2011 may be reaching its completion stage, but it is a bitter pill to swallow for a Limpopo woman.

Tshwene Mabula, of Makotse village near Lebowakgomo, is still angry with Statistics South Africa. Mabula, 29, said she was denied an opportunity to work for Census 2011 because she was pregnant.

She said she had undergone all processes, including training for field work. She later signed a contract to work during the counting process, which began on October 10.

Her problems started after she received a message from senior officials of Stats SA saying she could not work because she was pregnant. Mabula said she had signed the contract with Stats SA on October 5, which confirmed her appointment.

"But I was surprised when I received a message that I would not be eligible to work just on the basis of my pregnancy," she said. After receiving the message, Mabula said she called the provincial head office of Stats SA. She said a coordinator visited her house on the night of October 10 to ask her why she had called the head office. That was when she was told she would not get the job.

"Two days later I called the office again and, to my surprise, was told that the coordinator had settled the matter with me," she added.

Mabula said she was later told the contract she signed was, in fact, a "dummy contract".

"Upon checking the records at Stats SA, it was clearly shown I was appointed, but the file was not returned to the offices," she said.

Mabula said that in the record books they found her curriculum vitae, assessment records and copies of her qualifications and ID "but my contract was nowhere to be seen". Stats SA executive manager in Limpopo Nthambeleni Mukwevho said the case was being investigated and the organisation did not discriminate against pregnant women.