Assessing the use of GIS in the poverty alleviation strategy of the West Coast District Municipality

Date
2007-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poverty is a complex issue and has many causes which are wide-ranging with devastating effects. In order for these effects of poverty to be minimilised and contained, a poverty alleviation strategy has to be implemented in an effective and efficient manner. In order for a poverty alleviation strategy to be effective for the main stakeholders in the decision-making process the various components of poverty have to be fully comprehended. The extent of poverty needs to be determined by employing poverty measurement techniques which will enable the decision-maker to use a (GIS) to store the poverty data. This Geographical Information System (GIS) enables the decision-makers to capture, manage, store and analyse the poverty data. The GIS can be used to map poverty data and allow a visual display of the poverty data to indicate where the greatest needs are and to allow that the relevant stakeholders and policy makers focus scarce resources and efforts to these areas. Therefore poverty mapping can greatly assist government with the implementation process of the policy process specifically in the West Coast region, where a Poverty Alleviation Strategy is currently being implemented. This implementation plan of the West Coast Poverty Alleviation Strategy can be much more effective if used in conjunction with a GIS for poverty mapping. Therefore decision-makers in the West Coast District Municipality will be provided with an opportunity to utilise the poverty data in a more effective manner which will improve their decision-making process thorough the assistance of a decision-support tool such as the visual display of poverty in the West Coast region.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die toestand van armoede is ingewikkeld en kompleks. Armoede het verskeie negatiewe nagevolge. Om hierdie negatiewe nagevolge te bekamp, moet ʼn armoedeverligting strategie in ʼn effektiewe manier geïmplementeer word. Die armoedeverligting strategie kan net vir die hoof rolspelers effektief wees tydens die besluitnemings proses, as die hoof oorsake van armoede in volle konteks beskryf en verstaan word. Die toestand van armoede kan net bepaal word deur om gebruik te maak van verskei armoede meetings tegnieke. Hierdie tegnieke sal die besluitnemer in staat stel om ʼn Geografiese Inligtings Stelsel (GIS) te kan gebruik wat die armoede data kan stoor. GIS kan gebruik word om die toestand van armoede visueel te illustreer. Deur gebruik te maak van ʼn kaart om aan te wys waar die grootste behoefte is i.t.v. die armoede data en waar die rolspelers hulle hulpbronne en kragte moet saamsnoer. Armoede kartering kan daarom ʼn geweldige hulp verleen aan die Owerhede. Veral i.t.v. die beleid implementerings proses in die Weskus Armoedeverligting Strategie, wat ʼn sleutel armoede verligting aksie plan bevat. Die beleid proses sal net verbeter word, deur vir die besluitnemers in die Weskus Distrik Munisipaliteit ʼn geleentheid te skep om die armoede data in ʼn alternatiewe manier te gebruik. Armoede kartering is so alternatiewe manier en sal deur ʼn besluitneming ondersteunings sisteem soos GIS die algehele besluitnemings proses in die Weskus streek verbeter.
Description
Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
Keywords
Poverty -- South Africa -- Western Cape -- Data processing, Poverty -- South Africa -- Western Cape -- Measurement, Geographic information systems, Theses -- Public management and planning, Dissertations -- Public management and planning
Citation