Literacy data were collected on a 5 percent sample of the Republic of South Africa's 1980 population census. Approximately 5 million persons aged 20 or older were found to be illiterate. The racial breakdown of the literacy rate among the different population groups was as follows: Asians, 79.84 percent; whites, 97.18 percent; racially mixed persons, 68.54 percent; and blacks, 45.48 percent. Illiteracy rates were found to be highest in rural areas and among blacks, racially mixed persons, and Asians. The illiteracy problem appeared to be greater among women than men, and the increase in literacy among men was greater than that among women. The greatest discrepancy between the literacy levels of the sexes in one race (a 21.65 percent discrepancy) is among Asians. The highest illiteracy rates (for all racial groups studied) were found among persons over the age of 35. In present circumstances, the chance of becoming literate after passing the usual school age seems to be slight or unlikely. For this reason, increasing the percentage of literate adults in the population still depends primarily on adding young literates to the population. (This report also includes responses to criticisms that have been raised concerning the methodology of conducting South Africa's census and defining and determining literacy rates among the country's different racial groups. Appendixes contain statistical tables.) (MN)