What My Father's Work at Stats SA Taught Me About Data

Growing up, I didn't know much about data. In fact, I barely even understood what my dad did for work because of how complicated it all sounded. From a very young age up until now, I remember him talking to me about topics in computer science, statistics and maths that completely went over my head. He would show me books, long pieces of code, confusing equations and pages of notes that looked unreadable to me at the time. I genuinely thought I would never reach that level.

But over the years, I noticed something interesting. I started falling in love with maths.

It became my strongest subject throughout school, with physics close behind. Even though I never really did much statistics at school besides the small amount included in matric maths, I still found data fascinating. The idea that patterns could predict outcomes so accurately interested me a lot. Data felt like something bigger than numbers on a spreadsheet. It influences economies, businesses, decisions and honestly the way people understand the world.

My dad's work played a massive role in the way I think about all of this.

My father, Dr Mahier Hattas, is a director of field operations at Stats SA and has spent more than 20 years in the field. If you're interested in his work, you can check out his LinkedIn profile here.

Over time, I realized he taught me more than just academics. He taught me to think logically and statistically. To look at situations carefully instead of emotionally. To see the world as information, patterns and decisions that lead to outcomes.

That mindset helped me a lot during my final years of school.

I stopped seeing work as punishment or just something you survive. I started seeing it as something that actually improves you. Especially with the science path I took in school, I realized success was not just about intelligence. It required discipline, calmness, consistency, quality sleep, low stimulation and taking care of your mind properly.

What surprised me most was how these habits improved my life outside academics too. I became more confident in myself. I started taking bolder steps. I trusted my own ability more.

And honestly, that was new for me.

I was always the average kid at school. Lazy sometimes. Not interested in studying. But once I finally understood what my dad had been trying to teach me all these years about how the world works and how effort compounds over time, I started seeing a different version of myself.

A version that eventually made it to UCT, following a path similar to my father's.

His work no longer looked like hieroglyphics to me. It became something I respected, understood and now something I'm stepping into myself. It also taught me that challenging work forces you to take care of yourself properly because your mind and body become part of the process.

In the end, the future version of yourself is probably far more achievable than you think.

Even when your goals feel unrealistic, consistent effort changes the odds slowly over time. I really believe that. If I could go from being that lazy kid early in my academic life to improving year by year and eventually making it to UCT, then maybe a lot more is possible than we initially think.