Welcome to the National Income Dynamics Study

The National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) is the first national household panel study in South Africa. NIDS falls under the umbrella of the Southern African Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town’s School of Economics. 
 

In 2006, the South African Presidency embarked on an intensive multi-million rand effort to track - and understand - the shifting face of poverty by closely following more than 28 000 people, young and old, rich and poor, over a period of years. In 2008, about 300 fieldworkers spread out across the country to complete a detailed set of questionnaires with 7305 households. A key feature of the panel study is its ability to follow people as they move out of the original 7305 households, whether they're migrant workers, young married couples or students. The survey will also reveal important information about issues like internal migration, birth and death, savings, health, education and spending patterns.

The data from the first wave of NIDS was made public at the end of July 2009. 

Release of the data from the first wave of NIDS

SALDRU recently released the data from the first wave of the National Income Dynamics Study.  A two day workshop was held in Irene, Tshwane, on 30 and 31 July to introduce academics and policy-makers to the data.  Seen above are Nobubele Mata and Xolani Klaasen (from the NIDS office) with the Minister of Planning, Trevor Manuel, who was the guest speaker at the workshop dinner.