Geographic accessibility study of social facility and ...

Geographic accessibility study of social facility

and government service points for the

metropolitan cities of Johannesburg and

eThekwini 2011/12

PART A

STRATEGIC OVERVIEW AND KEY FINDINGS

CSIR/BE/SPS/ER/2012/0061/B A-i

Geographic accessibility study of social facility and government service points for the metropolitan cities of Johannesburg and eThekwini 2011/12

1 PART A: STRATEGIC OVERVIEW AND KEY FINDINGS A-1

1.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. A-1

1.2 STRATEGIC INTENT OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ A-2

1.3 PROJECT SCOPE AND VALUE ADDITION ........................................................................................ A-2

1.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................ A-5

1.5 ROLE OF STANDARDS IN SPATIAL PLANNING AND AGREED ACCESS NORMS ......................... A-6

1.6 LOCATION FACTORS ......................................................................................................................... A-7

1.7 STUDY CHALLENGES ........................................................................................................................ A-8

1.8 STRATEGIC ISSUES AND CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................................. A-9

1.9 KEY FINDINGS .................................................................................................................................. A-10

1.9.1 General .......................................................................................................................................... A-10

1.9.2 Basic Education ............................................................................................................................. A-11

1.9.3 Health ............................................................................................................................................. A-12

1.9.4 Safety and Security ........................................................................................................................ A-13

1.9.5 Labour ............................................................................................................................................ A-13

1.9.6 Justice and Constitutional Development ........................................................................................ A-13

1.9.7 Home Affairs .................................................................................................................................. A-14

1.9.8 Social Development ....................................................................................................................... A-14

1.9.9 GCIS: Thusong Service Centres .................................................................................................... A-15

1.10 INTEGRATION AND COMBINED FACILITY NEEDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION ............................... A-15

1.11 CONCLUDING STATEMENT ............................................................................................................. A-24

TABLES

Table 1: Access standards for each of the facility types ................................................................................ A-6

Table 2: Impact of proposed new or expanded facilities in eThekwini ......................................................... A-21

Table 3: Impact of proposed new or expanded facilities in Johannesburg ................................................... A-22

FIGURES

Figure 1: Social facility node hierarchy............................................................................................................ A-8

Figure 2: Spatial distribution of proposals for new facility investment in social facilities for eThekwini ......... A-17

Figure 3: Backlog of classrooms in eThekwini .............................................................................................. A-18

Figure 4: Spatial distribution of proposals for new facility investment in social facilities for Johannesburg ... A-19

Figure 5: Backlog of classrooms in Johannesburg ........................................................................................ A-20

PART A STRATEGIC OVERVIEW AND KEY FINDINGS

CSIR/BE/SPS/ER/2012/0061/B A-1


1 PART A: STRATEGIC OVERVIEW AND KEY FINDINGS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

1.1.1 The Government Programme of Action (Outcome 12) provided for the conducting of a geographic

accessibility study in two metropolitan municipalities in 2011/12. The Department of Public Service and

Administration appointed the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to conduct the study

which began in September 2011.

1.1.2 The metropolitan cities of Johannesburg and eThekwini were selected for the study as they would

provide different contexts in relation to access, geography and population density.

1.1.3 This section – Part A – forms one of the four parts of the study report and covers:

Strategic intent;

The project scope and the facility types analysed;

Limitations;

Geographic access standards;

Location factors;

Key findings and challenges;

Integrated need maps.

1.1.4 The Executive Summary of the report summarises the strategic intent and key findings of the study.

1.1.5 Part B covers:

Project deliverables;

The general approach and study methodology;

Population data used;

Reporting zones;

Map interpretation;

Stakeholder interaction undertaken.

1.1.6 Part C, Sections 1-10, covers:

The analysis reports and findings for each facility type for each of the two cities.




1.2 STRATEGIC INTENT OF THE STUDY

1.2.1 The strategic intent of the study was to provide guidance on improving access for citizens to a range of

key services by determining the current access levels (i.e. acceptable travel distances to services) and

areas of need where there is not enough service capacity to meet the demand for a service or where

the service is located too far away. Intervention strategies were formulated to improve the levels of

access in the areas of greatest need by recommending increases in facility capacity where feasible

and/or the addition of new, well-located facilities. This will, if implemented, ultimately shorten the

distances citizens have to travel to access these important services.

1.2.2 The project was also intended to promote greater alignment across spheres of government (national,

provincial and local) and sectors in the provision of services. This applies essentially to the alignment of

access standards and joint planning in targeted areas. This can be achieved through greater integration

between city spatial development frameworks and growth plans and the identification of facility needs

and backlogs at national and provincial levels. Joint planning for different facilities in the same areas

and within the same time period lends support to urban growth objectives through co-location and

improves citizens’ access to core services which is a key objective of the study.

1.2.3 The project assisted departments in developing and reviewing their service provision access standards,

specifically for urban areas.

1.2.4 The project assessed the current accessibility of facilities and identified any facility backlogs.

1.2.5 The project identified some possible policy interventions or other measures that departments may need

to consider in improving the access of citizens to key services.

1.3 PROJECT SCOPE AND VALUE ADDITION

1.3.1 The accessibility study examined geographic access to government service points in the municipalities

of eThekwini and Johannesburg to evaluate how best to address the provision of social services

facilities within the metropolitan areas and identified facility backlogs where applicable. Where the

provision of additional facilities or expansion of existing facilities was not appropriate or affordable and

where alternative actions are required to address the backlog, the study makes recommendations with

respect to other possible solutions or considerations that need to be investigated to improve access to

each of the services; for instance, through a reduction in demand, the establishment of partnerships,

use of technology, and the sharing or clustering of facilities.

1.3.2 This integrated study focused on developing multi-department integrated facility plans that covered all

three tiers of government in each of the metropolitan areas. The study outcomes simultaneously support

the achievement of more equitable and affordable access to a range of services in all parts of the




selected cities and facilitate the clustering of facilities where appropriate. Services can then be supplied

from centralised points such as Thusong Service Centres or municipal clusters such as Sizakala or

People Centres.

1.3.3 The study team followed an integrated approach to planning new facilities that is in line with government

policy and strategy and which also promotes city building. Groupings of facilities that are required

(backlog) and which can be appropriately clustered or can share a precinct/ building were identified.

1.3.4 The following facility types were analysed:

1.3.5 The study assisted departments in meeting the stated requirements of the Government Programme of

Action (Outcome 12) which requires government departments to develop geographic access norms and

to set targets for reducing the distances people have to travel to reach services, where appropriate. This

was achieved through the process of analysis and the testing of the impact of the geographic access

norms. Geographic access norms were tested, revised if necessary, and after agreement was reached

implemented in the study.

1.3.6 Catchment threshold parameters (i.e. the relationship between service demand within a defined

catchment area and the capacity of the facility service provision points) for the facility types of the

different departments were discussed and agreed to where applicable.

1.3.7 The testing and review of access and threshold standards is applicable not just for the two metropolitan

areas studied but should also prove to be suitable for application in other metropolitan or large urban

areas.

DEPARTMENT OF Health: Hospitals, Community Health Centres, Clinics, Mobile Services.

Department of Basic Education: Primary (including Grade R) and Secondary Schools.

Department of Social Development: Social Grant Pay Points, SASSA Offices, Children’s Homes (aka

orphanages) and Homes for the Aged.

Department of Home Affairs: Offices incorporating small, medium and large offices.

Department of Safety and Security: Fully-fledged Police Stations, Satellite Stations, Contact Points.

Department of Justice and Constitutional Development: High Courts, Circuit Courts, Magistrate’s Courts (Main

Seats) and incorporating Branch Courts.

Department of Labour: Offices.

Government Communication and Information System: Thusong Service Centres.

Metropolitan Municipality of Johannesburg – Parks, Libraries, Fire Stations, Community Halls.

Metropolitan Municipality of eThekwini – Parks, Libraries, Fire Stations, Sizakala Centres, Sportsfields.




1.3.8 Where departments (such as the SAPS, KwaZulu-Natal Health, etc.) were currently conducting their

own planning processes, the analysis took this into account in a consultative manner and added value

to these processes in a complementary manner by providing additional decision-support input, such as

access-related statistics and maps, which was then fed back into the study.

1.3.9 The study was primarily focused on providing decision-making in support of better planning and the best

distribution of facilities based on the current reality. This was done through interpretation of the

accessibility analysis which modelled the access of residents to facilities, thereby showing whether the

service provision is well located and sufficient and where additional capacity is required to achieve

equitable distribution of services. The model assisted in determining how a more equitable distribution

of facilities and facility sizes could better meet the demands of the population.

1.3.10 Where appropriate the cost implications in relation to the capital costs of new infrastructure have been

determined in collaboration with the departments or municipal line departments.

1.3.11 The study provides general location information in regard to the provision of new infrastructure or the

expansion of existing infrastructure and the best locations for clustering of social facilities.

1.3.12 The implementation plans identify generalised locations where services should preferably be provided

with a basic indication of their capacity and integration and sharing opportunities. Detailed

implementation plans have not been developed since this requires the identification of available land

and/or office space. Given the generalised locations, the plans provide sufficient direction to planning

officials from a range of departments to interact with the city officials and the departments of public

works to establish what sites are available for development and where any new facilities would be most

beneficial for city growth.

1.3.13 The city planners involved with this study can assist the relevant departments with regard to more

information on available development land nearer to the time of implementation.

1.3.14 It is not the intention of this study to place an infrastructure burden on the departments but rather to

support improved decision-making. It is recognised that there is considerable investment in the present

infrastructure and that in most cases facilities cannot be easily relocated. The departments will have to

decide on how best to implement the findings of the study within budgetary and other constraints.




1.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

1.4.1 As stated earlier in this document, the study looked predominantly at improving travel access to

services through the provision of physical facilities such as schools, clinics and offices. Where a facility-

based approach is not suitable, suggestions were made regarding other possible solutions for

departmental consideration.

1.4.2 This study only considers accessibility in relation to population coverage and travel distance while some

government departments consider a much wider range of factors in making a final decision on where

their facilities should be located or expanded. In such cases, the departments concerned (e.g. Social

Development and the SAPS) should use the findings of this study, together with other sources of

information available to them, to make a final decision on the most appropriate way to improve access

and availability to their services. For instance, whether the establishment of additional facilities should

be promoted, funded or licensed, whether existing facilities should be expanded or reduced, where they

should be located and what service boundaries are applicable. (In some cases, departments will need

to supplement this data with additional information such as cultural preferences for services, income

levels, and current usage/ demand on facilities.)

1.4.3 Access in this project is limited to travel distance and does not include infrastructure building standards,

design of infrastructure or access for those with special needs.

1.4.4 It must be noted that the scope of the project is limited to:

The correct placement and distribution per facility type to achieve the shortest average access

distance for all users per metropolitan area and the broadest population coverage within

certain minimum and maximum facility size limits and within selected affordability and

efficiency parameters.

Appropriate sizing of a facility versus the demand within the catchment.

The correct combination (sharing) of facilities.

1.4.5 The study will not take into account poor operational practices such as inefficiency, the lack of a booking

system, understaffing or poor management. Recommendations regarding internal operational issues at

facilities or hours of operation will not be made. However, recommendations will be made with regard to

the total demand per facility and the department concerned should use its own efficiency investigation to

finalise operational hours and capacity based on this input.




1.5 ROLE OF STANDARDS IN SPATIAL PLANNING AND AGREED ACCESS NORMS

1.5.1 The identification of comparable and benchmarked access norms and threshold guidelines within

governance and delivery mechanisms is essential to enable auditable and defensible measurement of

progress with respect to service delivery (Green, CA, Mans, GG & Breetzke, K. 2009. GIS-based

evaluation of public facility provision to achieve improved governance and equitable service delivery.

Paper presented at the 14th International Conference on Urban Planning, Regional Development and

Information Society, Sitges, Spain, 22-25 April 2009). Guidelines facilitate both service provision and the

backlog determination processes. The guidelines make backlog determination quantifiable and

transparent for both decision makers and communities.

1.5.2 The preliminary requirement in an accessibility study is to define or revise access guidelines/ standards

for the facilities. Some government departments have existing standards but in most cases the

standards in their existing form are designed from a national perspective and are not supportive of the

situation within a highly urban environment.

1.5.3 An evaluation of the current access distance was undertaken to establish if current access standards

were realistic and to provide direction in the development of new access standards should they be

required.

1.5.4 Table 1 outlines the access standards that were agreed upon for use in the study. They are applicable

in metropolitan areas and were used as the baseline for the analysis in the study. The access distance

standards used in some cases differ from the nationally accepted standards in that they are shorter. In

dense urban areas, economies of scale make it possible to cost-effectively provide services closer to

residents. In some cases, urban facility sizes are also substantially larger as demand thresholds are

higher than in less urban areas.

1.5.5 The access standards agreed upon and used are listed in Table 1.

Table 1: Access standards for each of the facility types

Department Facility Type Access distance

Health Clinic Community Health Centre L1 Hospital

5 km 10 km 15 km

Basic Education Primary School (inc. Grade R) Secondary School

5 km 5 km

Social Development SASSA local office Pay Point Home for the Aged Children’s Home

15 km 5 km 15 km 15 km

Home Affairs Offices 15 km




Department Facility Type Access distance

Safety and Security (SAPS) Station Contact point

8 km 4 km

Justice and Constitutional Development

Magistrates Court (Main Seat) 15 km

Labour Labour Office 15 km

Government Communication and Information System

Thusong Centre 15 km

Municipal Emergency Services Fire Station SABS standard (10090): 8 minutes – high risk (industry, CBD), special risk & informal settlements 10 minutes – moderate risk 13 minutes – low risk (conventional residential) 23 minutes – rural areas

Municipality of eThekwini Library Park Sportsfield Sizakala Centre

10 km 2 km at 0.4 ha per 1 000 people 10 km at 0.56 ha per 1 000 people 10 km

Municipality of Johannesburg Library Community Hall Park

5 km 10 km 1 km at 0.4 ha per 1 000 people

1.6 LOCATION FACTORS

1.6.1 Clustering was promoted by striving for close linkages at Thusong Centres for services such as those

for the Departments of Home Affairs, Labour and Social Development, as well as SASSA Offices and

Pay Points. Other synergies considered were to co-locate Social Grant Pay Points with Clinics,

Community Halls and Police Stations, while Homes for the Aged and Children’s Homes can be linked

with other appropriate facilities such as Frail Care Centres, Homes for the Disabled, other Youth Care

Centres, and retail facilities. Libraries, Clinics, Community Halls and Schools can be linked as can

Schools, Parks and Sport Facilities which provide ideal open space and recreational groupings. These

synergies were explored through further consultation with the relevant departments and agencies.

1.6.2 A further location factor was nodal location. The two metropolitan authorities who form part of the study

have identified certain nodes through drawing up their Spatial Development Frameworks.

1.6.3 In eThekwini, these nodes have been refined and a hierarchy of social facility nodes developed for the

City to act as potential locations for development in terms of social facility expansion. The nodes

(Figure 1) are to be regarded as locations in the first instance for the majority of facilities in eThekwini,

especially for larger facilities that serve more than the local neighbourhood (a neighbourhood being less

than 6 000 people). Where the unserved demand for certain facility types is not in line with the location




of the nodes, new facilities to meet the backlog were located as close as possible to the centroid of the

demand and the closest public transport nodes/ routes.

Figure 1: Social facility node hierarchy for eThekwini

1.6.4 In Johannesburg, city officials identified nodal locations which can be used as focal points for services

and which link to Johannesburg’s transport strategy.

1.6.5 In locating new facilities, consideration should be given to locating them close to transport routes if this

is advantageous for the particular facility type.

1.7 STUDY CHALLENGES

1.7.1 Poor data availability and the inaccuracy of data lead to delays in the project. There is currently

insufficient attention paid to the development and maintenance of the electronic databases of

government facilities which provide the GPS location of facilities together with relevant services and

capacity. The spatial data is essential to plan and provide services equitably and effectively in the

future. The identification of facilities by incorrect suburb names also caused considerable confusion.

1.7.2 It is recommended that standards for the maintenance of geographic co-ordinate data for all

government (national, provincial and local) facilities, together with relevant supply information on the

services is strictly enforced by each department. This should cover all facilities, owned, rented,

managed, sponsored or operated by any organ of state.




1.8 STRATEGIC ISSUES AND CONSIDERATIONS

1.8.1 The overall assessment is that, for the majority of facilities, access distance to facilities is not the major

reason for the inability to obtain services. The major issue is the lack of adequate service capacity at the

current facilities. In some instances, the service capacities of certain facility types should be able to be

increased without any change in physical infrastructure through staff training, efficiency, improved

processes and so on. Some government departments may have also underestimated the number of

people which can be served by a particular size of facility and a review of these capacities could

achieve major savings by reducing the need for additional new facilities.

1.8.2 The study identified a considerable number of new facilities to increase service capacity. In this process,

new facilities were located in areas of highest need. In several cases, the new facilities were located in

areas away from existing facilities; however, many new facilities are also required within areas meeting

the access distance standard but where there is insufficient capacity to meet the demand for services.

This may appear to be a duplication of existing services but it was indicated that some facilities cannot

be expanded from the perspective of operational efficiency and it is thus necessary, in some cases, to

place more than one facility within the same broad catchment area.

1.8.3 A key issue to address when developing new social facilities is to ensure that these are as far as

possible located in one building with other services or in a closely connected precinct to facilitate the

use of the facilities and reduce trips by citizens. Co-location also has the advantage of cost savings on

shared infrastructure (ICT, parking, waiting areas, ablutions, security, etc.) as well as providing focal

areas for development and growth within a city or town

1.8.4 The development of social facility nodes within a hierarchy, as is the case for eThekwini, facilitates this

process. The nodes provide an immediately recognizable point of concentration and co-location where

development will be supported and facilitated by the city. This provides direction to both the public and

private sector regarding future investment and development. The highest order nodes are located at

those points with the greatest intensity of human, economic and/or transport interaction, while lower

order facilities are at points of lower activity and concentration. The hierarchy thus clearly indicates

where the facilities of highest order should be located. It also indicates priorities for investment as not

all nodes can be provided with the same type of facility.

1.8.5 The study does not directly address operational efficiency, staffing and hours of operation; however, it is

evident from this study that there is a clear need to increase the operational capacity of many well

located facilities either through efficiency, longer service hours or increases in staff.

1.8.6 This study is limited to the provision of recommendations with regard to access standards and facility

shortages. All capital backlogs identified will in the main require a number of competent and well trained




staff and officials to deliver these services that are rendered by a range of staff from clerks and

teachers, to nurses, doctors, fire fighters, police officers, court officials and the like. Key consideration

will need to be given to ensure that, before capital projects are built and brought into service, the

necessary steps have been made to recruit or train sufficient appropriately qualified and competent staff

to provide the services required.

1.8.7 The study provides advice on the best locations and demand for new facilities and/or expanded

capacity; however, a key issue will be to identify and acquire land for the facilities in good time. The

municipalities, tasked as they are with local planning, can facilitate the identification of suitable land

close to areas of need. They could also assist with data on land suitability, ownership, availability of bulk

infrastructure as well as municipal facility provision in the vicinity.

1.8.8 In certain areas, the extent of a facility’s service area is limited because of poor road network

development. Thus, in some individual cases, the provision of road infrastructure could improve service

coverage without the building of new facilities. These situations are limited and isolated and require a

detailed investigation of the local context. Limited examples are identified in the reports for each service

sector.

1.9 KEY FINDINGS

1.9.1 General

1.9.1.1 SAPS Stations, Health Clinics, SASSA Offices and Schools are well distributed with an extensive

footprint throughout both metropolitan areas. Access distance is thus not a key concern but,

particularly in the case of Education and Health services, there are high levels of unmet service

demand.

1.9.1.2 Courts, Labour Offices, Thusong Centres, Home Affairs Offices, Homes for the Aged and Children’s

Homes need to extend both their footprint and their service capacities. eThekwini has a good

provision of Pay Points but this is not the case for Johannesburg.

1.9.1.3 Several facilities provided by local authorities – Fire Stations, Libraries, Parks, Sizakala Centres,

Community Halls and Sportsfields – were also analysed and, in general, were found to be well

distributed although lacking in service capacity. In both cities there was a need for an additional four to

six Fire Stations as well as several libraries. Also, the shortfall of developed parks with the necessary

maintenance and infrastructure, such as play equipment, is of concern with respect to both cities.

1.9.1.4 In terms of a general capacity assessment in Johannesburg, the areas with the greatest under

provision of services are: Soweto, Diepsloot, Ivory Park, Alexandra, the Inner City and CBD, Orange

Farm and Cosmo City.




1.9.1.5 In eThekwini, areas lacking two or more key facilities were found to be: Umlazi, Inanda, Kwadengezi,

Mpumalanga and the sparse rural areas.

1.9.2 Basic Education

1.9.2.1 Education facilities are generally well distributed and located and most children live within 5 km from a

school, with most having a choice of schools within this distance. However, in most areas there is a

distinct lack of capacity relative to the number of people living in the area. To achieve 100%

attendance in government funded schools for all children aged 5 to 18 years, 8 007 more classrooms

are required in eThekwini and 4 689 more in Johannesburg (Figures 3 and 5). This excludes the role

of independent schools which currently provide for up to 20% of learners in Johannesburg and 5% in

eThekwini. This backlog in classrooms was calculated based on current supply data supplied by the

department and using the standards agreed to by the Department of Basic Education. This has

considerable implications in terms of the capital cost of the new infrastructure and the attendant

resource requirements, such as qualified teachers. Clearly, providing schools in the same manner as

in the past is unlikely to deliver a sufficient quantity and quality of learning spaces. It is proposed that

a more detailed review of the situation – from a demand and supply side as well as quality perspective

– is required.

1.9.2.2 In terms of the supply, the education departments need to acknowledge the role currently played by

the private sector and include this as a part of the supply equation, especially as regard to Grade R.

From a demand perspective there are three further issues to consider. Firstly, the Department of Basic

Education should take into consideration the fact that many learners choose to leave school at the

age of 16 as this will decrease the specific demand for secondary schools to a more realistic level.

Secondly, the population figures for Johannesburg increased by 20% after the finalisation of the

Census 2011 population figures (the 2011 mid-year estimates had been used in the study) and so the

measured demand for schooling will increase overall in this metropolitan area. Thirdly, although Grade

R should be universally accessible it is not compulsory and thus planning for 100% demand is

unrealistic.

1.9.2.3 Costs to eradicate the backlogs in classrooms are tremendous; R 6 827 800 000 for Johannesburg

and R 9 138 400 000 for eThekwini. This is based on costing provided by the Gauteng and KZN

Departments of Education respectively. The CSIR has established that by using alternative building

technologies, savings of between 25% and 50% are possible. The backlog estimation excludes

provision for upgrading or additional infrastructure at existing schools such as libraries, laboratories,

etc.




1.9.2.4 Another issue to address is that of school preference. In Johannesburg, the key area of shortfall is

Soweto but this is also the same area where schools are said to be in decline and are avoided by

local residents in preference to schools outside the area that are perceived as being better managed

and affording better pass rates.

1.9.2.5 A further issue is that currently the northern suburbs of Johannesburg have a high reliance on private

schooling and concern has been expressed that this may not be sustainable for all people living in this

area.

1.9.2.6 Key areas of need in eThekwini are those of Umlazi, Inanda/ Phoenix, Mpumalanga and Pinetown

South/ Kwadengezi.

1.9.2.7 By implication the shortfall of teachers in both the metropolitan areas need to be addressed and

greater emphasis needs to be placed on developing the pipeline for the training and recruitment of

motivated and well qualified teachers. Consideration will also need to be given to developing

alternative strategies to meet the need for education service capacity, including platooning (double

session schools), larger class sizes, computer-aided teaching and other technologies. All of the above

make it impossible to provide unqualified recommendations on specific locations for new schools.

1.9.3 Health

1.9.3.1 The location of health facilities generally follows the growth pattern of the residential areas of the

metropolitan areas. In effect, a new health facility gets planned as the urban areas expand into

peripheral areas. Planning for these ad hoc developments makes provision of health facilities

problematic in the sense that the geographical spread of the facilities may be very good but the

required service capacities are not always well understood.

1.9.3.2 Clinics are in general well located in both Johannesburg and eThekwini. Travel access to Clinics is

fairly good and on average residents can reach a clinic within 3.6 km in Johannesburg and 6.6 km in

eThekwini. Of more concern is the service capacity of individual facilities in higher density suburbs,

especially the townships characterised by small dwellings, rapidly growing informal settlements and

backyard dwellings. The areas with the greatest backlog/ spatial mismatch of supply and demand are

also those with the lowest number of private doctors and the highest population density.

1.9.3.3 Community Health Care Centres (CHCs) provision is a fairly new intervention and is provided almost

exclusively in high density areas of both metropolitan municipalities, although unequally so in

eThekwini. CHCs show a general lack of capacity although the average travel time to reach a CHC in

Johannesburg is 10.1.km citywide. In eThekwini the facilities are more poorly distributed and the

average travel distance to a CHC is poor at 15 km, thus exceeding the 10 km access standard. Even




the north (Kwa Mashu/ Phoenix), the only area in eThekwini with more than one CHC, does not have

sufficient capacity.

1.9.3.4 The locations of Level 1 (Regional) Hospitals are generally historically determined and large parts of

the poorer population must pay high transport costs to access these facilities. The average access

distance is 18.9 km in eThekwini and 12.6 km in Johannesburg. Serious service capacity problems

further constrain the delivery of health services to the broad population.

1.9.3.5 The report has highlighted areas of need pressure in both cities with respect to Clinics, CHCs and

Level 1 Hospitals. The identified areas of concern will need to be addressed though a range of

existing policies including focussing on preventive health to reduce the demand for services through

education and other measures. Operational improvements will also need to be considered. Since in

some instances travel distance is a concern, capital expenditure may be inevitable to address the

access of residents to health care within an acceptable distance.

1.9.3.6 The sector report highlights the areas which, in a spatial context, should be the key areas for attention

should alternative strategies not have the desired impact of reducing or dealing with the current

demand. In eThekwini, these include Umlazi primarily and then the Inanda/ Kwa Mashu/ Phoenix

area. In Johannesburg, Soweto and the Inner City are the areas of greatest need.

1.9.4 Safety and Security

1.9.4.1 SAPS stations are well located and limited areas of need which can be served by additional Contact

Points were identified. Capacity at Stations is an internal issue being dealt with by the SAPS and thus

no recommendations in this regard were made.

1.9.5 Labour

1.9.5.1 Labour Offices in both cities have good coverage based on the percentage of population served.

However, the mainly sparsely populated rural area of eThekwini (North-West and South) has no

service within 20 km and at a minimum three facilities should be provided here, while a better

distribution of the current offices can also be considered. In Johannesburg, the residents of Cosmo

City, Rabie Ridge and the south eastern areas are more than 15 km from a Labour Office. There are,

however, many Offices in other areas which although accessible are under pressure to serve very

large numbers of people.

1.9.6 Justice and Constitutional Development

1.9.6.1 High Court access in Gauteng places over 80% of the population within 30 km of a High Court or

Circuit Court. The situation in KwaZulu-Natal is less favourable with only 52% of people within 30 km




of a High Court. The pressure (number of people dependent on each court) is very high, especially

with respect to the Johannesburg and Durban High Courts.

1.9.6.2 Main Courts are well located to serve the majority of the population, with over 80% of people within

15 km of a Main Seat in eThekwini and 69% in the case of Johannesburg. The upgrade of the Protea

and Midrand Branch Courts to Main Seats will make a significant difference in Johannesburg and will

result in 87% of the population being able to reach a Main Seat in less than 15 km. In eThekwini, the

upgrade of the Hammersdale/ Mpumalanga and Amanzimtoti Branch Courts to Main Seats will

increase coverage so that 91% of the population can be served within the standard.

1.9.7 Home Affairs

1.9.7.1 Home Affairs Offices are in general well located but service capacity was indicated to be significantly

below demand in both cities and most facilities are under high pressure. In Johannesburg, eight new

facilities (including Cosmo City, Dieplsloot and Rabie Ridge, Newland, Malvern and Soweto) are

required and eight existing facilities need to be expanded such that operational capacity can meet the

demand. In eThekwini, nine new facilities are required: four in the North (Phoenix, Bridge City,

Verulam, Mnini), as well as in Umnini, Umbogintwini, Pinetown South, Hillcrest and Newlands. Five

other facilities need to expand their service capacity to meet the current unmet demand.

1.9.8 Social Development

1.9.8.1 SASSA Offices are well located for the majority of the population. In eThekwini, the area in the south

coast as well as the rural areas north of Inchanga and at Zwelibomvu require some additional

services. In Johannesburg only Cosmo City requires a new facility.

1.9.8.2 Pay Points are well located in eThekwini although some are likely to be overburdened. These services

are intended to be phased-out in favour of electronic payment; however, in the short term there are 12

areas where mobile services may relieve pressure. In Johannesburg only the CBD, Soweto,

Alexandra and Ivory Park are well provided with Pay Points. There are 19 locations in Johannesburg

that require additional services.

1.9.8.3 Homes for the Aged only occur in the built up central areas of the two metropolitan areas. Depending

on cultural preferences, demand has been identified in the south and western border of eThekwini

where there are currently no facilities, as well as the Inanda area where there is unmet demand. In

Johannesburg, shortfalls are indicated in the Orange Farm, Soweto, and Ivory Park/ Midrand areas.

1.9.8.4 Of the services provided/ supported by DSD and SASSA, Children’s Homes showed the largest

amount of unfulfilled demand. Children’s Homes are in short supply in most areas of eThekwini with

only limited capacity in the central and coastal areas. The main areas of need in eThekwini are Kwa




Mashu, Phoenix, Pinetown South, Umbogintwini, Umlazi and Umzinyathi. In Johannesburg, areas of

needs were identified in the Orange Farm, Soweto, Cosmo City, Diepsloot and Ivory Park/ Midrand

areas.

1.9.8.5 Cultural, religious and socio-economic contexts should be considered when decisions are made

regarding additional facilities in the cases of Homes for the Aged and Children’s Homes.

1.9.9 GCIS: Thusong Service Centres

1.9.9.1 Thusong Centres in Johannesburg are well located with 90% of people living within 15 km of a facility.

The areas not within adequate reach of a centre are Ivory Park and Cosmo City. The service coverage

in eThekwini is not as good with a large percentage of the population (44%) not having access to a

Thusong Centre or an integrated cluster of Thusong services. The major gap in service coverage is

found in the Indanda/ Bridge City area; the Umlazi/ Umbogintwini area is of a smaller magnitude.

Although neither CBD has a Thusong Centre all the anchor tenants of a Thusong are present in the

CDB and thus it has lower priority than other areas.

1.9.9.2 The fact that some Thusong Centres are not offering some of the basic pro-poor services such as

SASSA, Home Affairs and Labour offices is a concern and proposals are made in this study to ensure

that these three services are at minimum offered periodically in all Thusongs.

1.10 INTEGRATION AND COMBINED FACILITY NEEDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

1.10.1 The approach used in developing these implementation plans was, firstly, to achieve more equitable

and affordable access to a range of services in all parts of the two cities. Secondly, possible locations

for the proposed facilities were clustered and slightly moved where appropriate so that services can be

provided from centralised points such as the Thusong Service Centres. Locations for facilities were also

adjusted slightly (without unduly impacting on the service delivery coverage) in order to make a positive

contribution to city structure development through investment in key development nodes.

1.10.2 Tables 2 and 3 provide summaries of the backlog of facilities in each city and, where applicable, the

likely change in access travel times should the proposed intervention be achieved; the maps (Figures 2

to 5) indicate spatially where these facilities should be placed. The different shades on the map provide

an indication of which areas require sector investment as well as the number of different sectors

involved. More detailed locations are indicated in Section C of the main report.

1.10.3 For both cities the local planning department would assist with the detailed planning and the

identification of appropriate sites close to identified concentrations of demand.




1.10.4 It is proposed that higher order facilities (such as Labour Offices, Home Affairs Offices, Thusong

Centres, Libraries and Police Stations) are developed at the bigger nodes as identified by each City

through the Spatial Development Framework or the social facility node hierarchy.

1.10.5 Other lower order facilities (such as Pay Points, Homes for the Aged and Children’s Homes) may be

placed at local nodes within the catchment/ general area identified.

1.10.6 Fire stations should be located nearby or on main access routes in order to facilitate prompt response

times and minimise travel times to incidents.




Figure 2: Spatial distribution of proposals for new facility investment in social facilities for eThekwini




Figure 3: Backlog of classrooms in eThekwini




Figure 4: Spatial distribution of proposals for new facility investment in social facilities for

Johannesburg




Figure 5: Backlog of classrooms in Johannesburg




Table 2: Impact of proposed new or expanded facilities in eThekwini

Facility type

Current provision Proposed implementation

Number of facilities & current capacity (persons served)

Average distance to nearest facility (km)

Percentage of target group served within standards

Number of additional facilities



Home Affairs 11 Offices 1 640 000 persons

8.72 44% 9 new 5 expanded

5.5 88%

Justice 7 Main Seats 5 Branch Courts

10.14 83% Upgrade 2 Branch Courts to Main Seats

6.76 91%

Labour 10 Offices 3 000 000 persons

10.29 79% 9 new 3 closures

6.37 99.7%

SAPS 49 Police Stations 54 Contact Points

4.17 91.7% 5 Contact Points 4.01 96.5%

Education – Primary schools

658 Schools 405 900 learners

1.06 79.1% @ 10 km

2 735 classrooms

In-depth review

required

-

Education – Grade R

536 schools with Grade R 32 943 children

1.08 41% 1 268 classrooms

-

Education – Secondary schools

288 Schools 438 613 learners

1.74 64.4% @ 10 km

4 004 classrooms

-

Health – Clinics

96 Clinics 4 210 794 visits

6.3 38%

The Department of Health has indicated that it

will use alternative measures and policies to

address backlogs in identified areas

Health – Community Health Centres

12 CHCs 2 940 000 persons

15 18%

Health – Level 1 Hospitals

7 Hospitals 2 449 500 persons

18.9 44%

Social Development –SASSA Offices

10 Offices 3 Service Points (703 222 demand)

8.7 87.9% 6 new

6.1 98.7%

Social Development –Pay Points

335 Points (482 707 demand)

2.7 90.5% 12 new

2.3 96%

Social Development –Homes for the Aged

22 Homes 2 390 persons

8.9 56.7% 8 new 6.3 86.1%




Facility type

Current provision Proposed implementation







Social Development –Children’s Homes

22 Homes 1 449 children

12 28.1% 28 new 6.8 85.2%

GCIS – Thusong Service Centres and Clusters

3 Centres 3 Clusters

14.03 56.6% 5 new 7.36 90.2%

Municipal – Libraries

85 Libraries 316 0000 persons

3.51 70.2% 4 new 4 expanded

3.19 80.7%

Municipal – Sizakala Centres

36 Facilities 3.74 93.2% None - -

Municipal – Sport Fields

14 257.6 ha - 98.9% None - -

Municipal – Parks

688 ha 2.22 66% 140 proposed locations @ min 0.4Ha each

1.07 79.9%

Municipal – Fire Stations

19 Fire Stations

6.92 minutes 86.9% 6 new + 1 re-opened

5.88 minutes 93.2%

Table 3: Impact of proposed new or expanded facilities in Johannesburg

Facility type Current provision Proposed implementation



Percentage of target

group served within

standards




Home Affairs 1 760 000 14 Offices

5.25 46% 8 new 8 expansions

3.84 97%

Justice 4 Main Seats 11 Branch Courts

13.59 69% Upgrade 2 Branch Courts to Main Seats

11.21 87%

Labour 11 Offices 3 300 000 persons

7.53 87% 6 new 4.88 99.7%

SAPS 48 Police Stations 3 Contact Points

2.82 96.9% 5 new Contact Points

2.8 99.1%

Education – Primary schools

489 schools 357 646 children

1.02 95.4% @ 10 km

836 classrooms In-depth review

required

-




Facility type Current provision Proposed implementation



Percentage of target

group served within

standards




Education – Grade R

354 schools with Grade R 19 740 children

1.15 33% 1 204 classrooms

In-depth review

required

-

Education – Secondary schools

203 schools 217 685 children

1.46 67.8% @ 10 km

2 648 classrooms

-

Health – Clinics

112 Clinics 5 317 712 visits

3.6 64% The Department of Health has indicated that it will use alternative measures and policies to

address backlogs in identified areas

Health – Community Health Centres

10 CHCs 2 450 000

10.1 83%

Health – Level 1 Hospitals

6 Hospitals 1 597 500

12.6 72%

Social Development – SASSA Offices

15 Offices 505 129 (demand)

5.2 97.1% 1 new 4.9 99.96%

Social Development – Pay Points

32 Points 408 085 (demand)

4.0 73.1% 19 new 2.6 90.8%

Social Development –Homes for the Aged

31 Homes 4 667 persons

4.3 74.3% 7 new 3.5 99.4%

Social Development – Children’s Homes

46 Homes 2 276 children

3.7 53.2% 14 new 2.0 92.7%

GCIS – Thusong Service Centres and Clusters

9 Thusong Centres 4 Clusters

6.69 90.5% 2 new 5.27 99.5%

Municipal – Libraries

87 Libraries 5 750 000 persons

2.13 74.5% @ 5 km

3 new 5 expansions

2.09 74.5% @ 3.5 km

83.7% @ 5 km

Municipal – Halls

113 Halls 6 602 098 persons

2.07 90.3% None - -

Municipal – Parks

2644 ha 0.96 42.4% 200 proposed locations @ min 0.4 Ha each

- 90.7%

Municipal – Fire Stations

27 Stations 4.38 Minutes 81.9% 4 new 3.64 minutes

92.2%




1.11 CONCLUDING STATEMENT

1.11.1 The distribution of facilities is generally good but the capacity to address the demand being placed on

the services delivered by certain facility types is severely lacking.

1.11.2 Areas which require intervention in respect to additional facilities or the expansion of service capacity in

existing facilities have been identified where applicable.

1.11.3 This study has demonstrated the need for a systematic and rigorously scientific approach to improve

service delivery. Studies such as these are essential to ensure efficient and effective use of scarce

resources. Services can be delivered to the community equitably by applying the results of this study. It

has also identified shortcomings in data holdings and data management. The accuracy, currency and

availability of critical data sets for this type of analysis cannot be overstressed. The confidence with

which decisions can be made based on these results are directly impacted by the quality of data inputs.

Planning is impossible without the necessary information.

1.11.4 This study is limited to the provision of recommendations with regard to access standards and facility

shortages; however, all facilities require competent and well trained staff and officials to deliver these

services. Each department will need to consider what human resource or alternative strategies are

required to fulfil the service requirements. Efficiency studies and technology could be used in future to

improve and potentially increase the citizen throughput at the facilities to reduce the demand for new

facilities and expansions and the consequent capital and land requirements.

1.11.5 The information generated by this study should prove invaluable in ensuring that there is an adequate

provision of services where they are needed most. Clustering of services by various government

departments and agencies can lead to cost efficiencies and the promotion of city and regional

development goals.

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