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

the population numbers and economic base of the Northern Cape Province can support more
than six leader towns.
5.3 Salient research results
In meeting the aims of the study in section 1.2, significant observations and results were
recorded. Synoptically, the salient conclusions are:
• The 115 individual town and 32 municipal profiles exhibit distinct spatial inequalities
on the various Development Potential and Human Needs indices, as well as the
Capital Investment categories (Figures 3.3 - 3.22).
• 17 (15%) of the towns score positive (High/Very High) Development Potential values.
Conversely, 34 (30%) of the towns register a negative (Low) value. The remaining 64
Medium ranked towns hold an intermediate position in line with the provincial mean.
• Significant for future development strategies, centres with a proven development
record are of paramount importance as potential ‘growth engine’ nodes for their
respective regions (Table 3.6 and Figure 3.3). They should be priority targets for
Infrastructural Capital Investment from government in order to enhance sustainable
and balanced economic development throughout the province (Table 3.7, Figure 3.9
and Table 5.1).
• Relative to the provincial mean, the Northern Cape has 37 (32%) of its towns
experiencing High or Very High Human Needs index levels (Table 3.7 and Figure
3.4). These towns should especially be targeted for Social Capital Investment from
government (Table 3.7 and Figure 3.19).
• Only 17 towns registered a substantial loss in absolute population numbers between
the 1996 and 2001 census dates and even then some of these shifts may be due to
urban boundary changes. But positive population growth is not necessarily an
indicator of urban development. On the contrary, a large population (or high growth
rate) may burden development resources and for that reason some smaller towns
displayed a higher development potential than several larger towns.
• Various reasons for the relatively slow/negative growth obtained in certain towns and
municipalities - versus strong/positive growth experienced in others - can be
advanced. These causes, linked to the multi-dimensional set of growth criteria
described in section 2.13, erode the towns’ economic bases. Each settlement
demonstrates a unique town profile in accordance with the quantitative indicators
(Addendum 1.1 and 1.2) on which they scored positive and negative values. From
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