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

Northern Cape PSDF
Volume 2
www.statssa.gov.za
Office of the Premier &
Department of Rural Development & Land Reform
SECTION E: SOCIAL AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT
SECTION CONTENT
75
December 2011
This section addresses the key aspects related to the Human Capital and the Social Capital of the province which are
defined as follows:
a) Human Capital refers to people’s health, education, training, knowledge, skills, spirituality and motivation, which
are needed for a flourishing economy, productive work, poverty reduction and capacity for human relationships.
b) Social Capital concerns investments by institutions that help us maintain and develop human capital e.g. families,
communities, municipalities, trade unions, hospitals and schools. This means access to varied and supportive
opportunities for work, health, living conditions, etc.
The section also comprises an inventory of other forms of capital required to ensure the well‐being and ongoing
development of the above forms of capital, i.e. Manufactured (Infrastructure) Capital which constitutes material
goods or fixed assets which contribute to the production process and service provision rather than being the output
itself – e.g. tools, machines and buildings. The main components include buildings and infrastructure such as roads,
communications, waste disposal, water systems, etc.
E.1 HUMAN CAPITAL
The socio‐economic data provided by the Northern Cape Local Economic Development Strategy
(hereinafter referred to as the LED Strategy), Northern Cape PGDS (2011) and Statistics South
Africa (2001 & 2007) was used in the preparation of this section. The census data was taken from
the interactive tables of the 2001 South Africa Census as amended on 9 December 2005 after
provision was made for the new demarcationboundaries 16 .
A community Survey was undertaken by Statistics South Africa during 2007 as a result of the gap in
data created by the decision of Cabinet to move away from 5‐year to 10‐year censuses 17 . The
Community Survey also took the newly demarcated municipal boundaries (released in December
2005) into consideration. Although Statistics South Africa states that the Community Survey is not
a replacement of the Census, the measurements were adjusted to a best estimate and the Survey
does give useful information.
The discrepancies between the, 2001 Census Data, 2007 Statistics South Africa Community Survey,
the LED Strategy and PGDS will be indicated, where possible, to assist in addressing societal needs,
implementing development strategies and monitoring the progress of governmental development
programs. The results of Census 2011 are only expected in November 2012. This could be used to
up‐date the PSDF if required.
E.1.1 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
The Northern Cape is the largest province by area in South Africa (one third of the geographical
land surface in South Africa) but it has the smallest population in the country. The province is vast,
with many remote areas that are relatively unspoilt. With its variety of natural assets, it is
regarded as a generally rural region (PGDS).
16 http://www.statssa.gov.za/census01/html/C2001Interactive.asp
17 Statistics South Africa, 2008: Community Survey 2007: Statistical Release Basic Results Municipalities. P0301.1.
Dennis Moss Partnership