Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...

CHAPTER 2
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: INSTITUTIONAL AND THEORETICAL
GUIDELINES
It is imperative for an empirical analysis of this nature to be aligned with national and
international norms regarding town development and associated urban growth dynamics. For
that reason a synoptic overview of relevant international literature and national policy
documents is provided.
2.1 Academic Literature Review
In order to provide a conceptual framework for investigating the growth potential of towns in
the Northern Cape, this chapter starts with a short survey on the definition of the concepts
‘development’, ’capital investment’ and ‘potential’. Secondly, the role that small towns play
in regional and rural development as well as the factors that influence their growth dynamics
is summarised. Thirdly, we focus on the role and guidelines contained in the institutional
policy documents relevant for the construction of the Northern Cape PSDF.
2.1.1 Defining Rural Development
There is a lack of a common understanding and agreement on the definition of economic
development amongst stakeholders. This is manifested in the persistence of unhelpful
dichotomies in the development discourse: i.e. pro-growth vs. pro-poor; urban vs. rural; town
vs. township; environment vs. development; big vs. small business; formal vs. informal
business, etc. This in turn leads to a lack of consensus on what needs to be done and an
absence of a common agenda. What is needed is an integration of these concepts (EDA
Discussion Document, Western Cape, 2011). The following definitions will give an indication
of the development scenario that can be expected from the Northern Cape PSDF.
(i) Development: This is a process through which ‘things’ are changing to an improved state.
The process of economic and social transformation is based on a set of complex cultural
and environmental factors and their interactions. Development comprises different
manifestations:
• Economic development is about cities and regions continually improving their
investment climate and business-enabling environment to enhance their
competitiveness, to retain jobs and improve incomes. It is, therefore, the increase in
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