1.  What is in the NIDS secure data that I can’t see in the published data? 

The secure data contains confidential variables that are not released with publicly available data. The variables include the primary sampling unit, employment codes up to the four digit level, date of birth day etc.
The variables that are in the Secure Dataset but not in the Public Access Dataset can be found here for Wave 1, Wave 2,  Wave 3, Wave 4 and Wave 5

2.  Who may obtain access to secure data? 

Anyone doing research that requires use of secure data may obtain access upon applying for the data via DataFirst and getting approval.

3.  What application materials need to be submitted to obtain access to secure data?

Users wishing to access to access the NIDS Secure Datasets are requested to complete a NIDS Accredited Researcher Application. If you are a student your application has to be counter-signed by your supervisor. The application will be reviewed by the NIDS management committee within two weeks of submission and you will receive feedback on the success of your application. If you are successful you will also be required to sign a NIDS Secure End-user Agreement. Both documents can be downloaded from the DataFirst website.

Applications must be made by emailing the NIDS Accredited Research Application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

4.  How long does the process take to obtain access to secure data? 

The process takes two weeks for management to process an application.

5.  Where can the NIDS Secure Data be found? 

Access to the secure data is only granted at DataFirst’s Secure Research Data Centre in the School of Economics Building, Middle Campus, University of Cape Town, Cape Town. Secure data may not leave the premises. All output will be screened by DataFirst and NIDS staff to ensure that confidentiality is not breached either directly (reference to individual data) or indirectly (e.g. by providing information on geographical units which are too small, so that the identity of individual cells might be inferred). Once the screening has been completed your output will be emailed to you.

6.  May more than one type of secure dataset be requested? 

There is only one type of restricted/ secure data available and this data contains all the secure variables that we make available to our users. This data comes in a package containing the Adult, Child, Proxy, HHQuestionnaire, HouseholdRoster, indderived, hhderived, admin and Link files. This data is available in Stata format. If users however prefer a different format they can put through a request to DataFirst.

7.  May the secure data be used for more than one research project? 

Yes, provided that the users have stated this request in their application and have been granted permission.

8.  Is there an administration fee associated with my secure data application? 

No, there is no cost to using the NIDS secure data.

9.  Are there any other requirements now that I have access to the secure data and my contract is now active? 

Users must sign the confidentiality agreement. Users are aware that secure data may allow individuals to be identified. Any outputs made available must meet the guarantee contained in the confidentiality agreement, namely that no statistics produced should identify an individual in the data.

10.  Can I keep all the data files that were created with the secure data files? 

Users are only allowed to take results. This includes tables, regression output and graphs. Data files may not leave the Secure Data Centre.