GGH2602
Assignment 2:
Title: A geographical perspective of services provision
in New Forest, Grabouw, Western Cape.
Note: I hereby grant full permission for this document and all its
content to be included into any UNISA database.
1
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page number
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................3
2. Location..........................................................................................................5
2.1 Relative Location..........................................................................................5
2.2 Absolute Location.........................................................................................5
3. Observation.....................................................................................................6
3.1 Infrastructure.................................................................................................6
3.1.1 Roads..................................................................................................6
3.1.2 Electricity...........................................................................................9
3.1.3 Water................................................................................................11
3.1.4 Communication................................................................................14
3.2 Solid Waste management............................................................................14
3.3 Open Spaces................................................................................................16
3.4 Environmental Impacts...............................................................................17
4. Context of Services Provision.......................................................................20
4.1 Physical Environment.................................................................................20
4.2 Institutional Environment...........................................................................21
4.3 Socioeconomic Environment......................................................................21
4.4 Technological Environment........................................................................22
5. Classification of Services..............................................................................22
5.1 According to Function................................................................................23
5.2 According to Area Served...........................................................................23
5.3 According to Provisional Sector.................................................................25
6. Mapping Services..........................................................................................25
6.1 Sketch Map.................................................................................................26
6.2 Spatial Pattern of New Forest.....................................................................27
7. Representation of demographic data.............................................................27
7.1 Source of data..............................................................................................28
7.2 Representation of data in table format........................................................31
2
,7.3 Graphic Representation of data...................................................................38
7.4 Influence of demographic data on services provision.................................41
8. The role of GIS.............................................................................................42
9. Constructive Suggestions..............................................................................44
10. Conclusion..................................................................................................45
10.1 Evaluation of learning experience.............................................................45
10.2 Conclusion regarding services provision in New Forest..........................45
11. Bibliography................................................................................................47
1. Introduction
Services provision has been a popular topic of debate in South Africa for many
years. During Apartheid millions of South African citizens were denied their
basic human right to proper services provision and were often forced to live in
absolute squalor. The end of Apartheid heralded the beginning of a new age
wherein dignity was to be restored to all citizens of our beautiful country
(Gelderblom & Martin 2006:94).
Unfortunately, twenty years after South Africa’s democratisation, many South
African citizens still receive poor service delivery. This is particularly true of
rural areas in the country. The reason for this is often due to the fact that many
rural areas are far-removed from civilisation which complicates service
delivery to those particular areas. In other cases farm dwellers simply receive
poor services provision from the government and the owners of the land that
they rent property from. There are currently many debates concerning the
rights of farm inhabitants with regards to services provision (Ndlela 2006:1)
Services provision is a basic human right that is stipulated in the South African
Constitution of 1996 and no citizen, regardless of their physical location, may
be excluded from receiving such services (Bvumba 2009:16). Due to the many
difficulties regarding service provision in rural areas I have chosen to conduct
my case study in the rural area of New Forest.
New Forest is a very small, formal rural residential area which forms part of a
larger privately owned farm called Kromvlei. Large parts of Kromvlei farm are
also utilised for apple orchards and forestry. There is a very large fruit storage
and packaging factory, called Fruitways Valley Packers (Fruitways factory),
adjacent to New Forest residential area. The farm is situated outside the town
of Grabouw in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
I have personally been residing in one of the houses in New Forest for four
years. I have always been astonished at the lack of service provision in the area
which has created many difficulties for the people residing in New Forest. I
am personally acquainted with all the residents of New Forest and have a vast
amount of knowledge about the area as I have been residing here for such a
long period of time.
3
, My intended aim in conducting this case study is to provide an analysis of the
spatial, historical, cultural, political and physical contexts of services provision
in New Forest. I hope that by providing a geographical perspective of services
provision in New Forest, I will be able to find possible solutions to the
problems regarding services provision in the area.
4
Assignment 2:
Title: A geographical perspective of services provision
in New Forest, Grabouw, Western Cape.
Note: I hereby grant full permission for this document and all its
content to be included into any UNISA database.
1
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page number
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................3
2. Location..........................................................................................................5
2.1 Relative Location..........................................................................................5
2.2 Absolute Location.........................................................................................5
3. Observation.....................................................................................................6
3.1 Infrastructure.................................................................................................6
3.1.1 Roads..................................................................................................6
3.1.2 Electricity...........................................................................................9
3.1.3 Water................................................................................................11
3.1.4 Communication................................................................................14
3.2 Solid Waste management............................................................................14
3.3 Open Spaces................................................................................................16
3.4 Environmental Impacts...............................................................................17
4. Context of Services Provision.......................................................................20
4.1 Physical Environment.................................................................................20
4.2 Institutional Environment...........................................................................21
4.3 Socioeconomic Environment......................................................................21
4.4 Technological Environment........................................................................22
5. Classification of Services..............................................................................22
5.1 According to Function................................................................................23
5.2 According to Area Served...........................................................................23
5.3 According to Provisional Sector.................................................................25
6. Mapping Services..........................................................................................25
6.1 Sketch Map.................................................................................................26
6.2 Spatial Pattern of New Forest.....................................................................27
7. Representation of demographic data.............................................................27
7.1 Source of data..............................................................................................28
7.2 Representation of data in table format........................................................31
2
,7.3 Graphic Representation of data...................................................................38
7.4 Influence of demographic data on services provision.................................41
8. The role of GIS.............................................................................................42
9. Constructive Suggestions..............................................................................44
10. Conclusion..................................................................................................45
10.1 Evaluation of learning experience.............................................................45
10.2 Conclusion regarding services provision in New Forest..........................45
11. Bibliography................................................................................................47
1. Introduction
Services provision has been a popular topic of debate in South Africa for many
years. During Apartheid millions of South African citizens were denied their
basic human right to proper services provision and were often forced to live in
absolute squalor. The end of Apartheid heralded the beginning of a new age
wherein dignity was to be restored to all citizens of our beautiful country
(Gelderblom & Martin 2006:94).
Unfortunately, twenty years after South Africa’s democratisation, many South
African citizens still receive poor service delivery. This is particularly true of
rural areas in the country. The reason for this is often due to the fact that many
rural areas are far-removed from civilisation which complicates service
delivery to those particular areas. In other cases farm dwellers simply receive
poor services provision from the government and the owners of the land that
they rent property from. There are currently many debates concerning the
rights of farm inhabitants with regards to services provision (Ndlela 2006:1)
Services provision is a basic human right that is stipulated in the South African
Constitution of 1996 and no citizen, regardless of their physical location, may
be excluded from receiving such services (Bvumba 2009:16). Due to the many
difficulties regarding service provision in rural areas I have chosen to conduct
my case study in the rural area of New Forest.
New Forest is a very small, formal rural residential area which forms part of a
larger privately owned farm called Kromvlei. Large parts of Kromvlei farm are
also utilised for apple orchards and forestry. There is a very large fruit storage
and packaging factory, called Fruitways Valley Packers (Fruitways factory),
adjacent to New Forest residential area. The farm is situated outside the town
of Grabouw in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
I have personally been residing in one of the houses in New Forest for four
years. I have always been astonished at the lack of service provision in the area
which has created many difficulties for the people residing in New Forest. I
am personally acquainted with all the residents of New Forest and have a vast
amount of knowledge about the area as I have been residing here for such a
long period of time.
3
, My intended aim in conducting this case study is to provide an analysis of the
spatial, historical, cultural, political and physical contexts of services provision
in New Forest. I hope that by providing a geographical perspective of services
provision in New Forest, I will be able to find possible solutions to the
problems regarding services provision in the area.
4
