| dc.description.abstract | This study was initiated to potentially provide an encompassing Index of Vitality for
urban centres. The Vitality Index’s goal is to evaluate and measure urban centres in
terms of growth and general performance on various levels. This will enable
measurement of the general economic, social, physical, environmental, institutional and
spatial performance of towns within a region, ultimately reflecting the spatial importance
of the urban centre in the region.
The main problem statement reveals a lack of integrated and encompassing indicators
that reflect on the urban structure as an organic entity. This demands for the inclusion
of a number of existing indicators into an encompassing index. Towns have been
measured in terms of numerous indicators, mostly in connection with social and
economic conditions, over an extended period of time. The lack of typical spatial
indicators is identified as a shortcoming in the measurement of urban centres. Urban
centres exist and function within a larger region, consequently all urban centres are
interrelated. This study proposes the utilisation of a comprehensive index to measure
the importance of an urban centre within a specific region.
The proposed Vitality Index reflects on a city’s vitality. .vitality describes the ability of an
organism to stay alive or work effectively. The proposed Vitality Index was developed on
the basis of which an urban centre is measured by means of a number of indicators,
indicating the ability of that urban centre to continue to exist, be viable, and function
satisfactorily in order to provide for the basic needs of the community and to improve
the lives of all residents in the long run. This Vitality Index includes social, economic,
satisfaction and spatial indicators.
The Vitality Index is consequently tested in the proposed study area situated in the
Northern Cape Province. The Northern Cape Province is sparsely populated and has very few large urban centres. The urban centres also occur at irregular intervals and the
geography of the area is fairly homogeneous. The area is, therefore, ideal for a study
project such as this one since the geography will have less influence on the settlement
of people. The specific study area is represented in each of the levels of the urban
system, and thus includes urban centres in the natiunal regional, and daily urban
systems. This contributes greatly to the study, due to the inclusion of Spatial Indicators
in the Vitality Index. The study area furthermore fits into the core-periphery model
(which is central to this study), with certain centres forming part of the core, while other
centres and development corridors are included in the transition zone, and the
periphery.
A main town is identified within each Local Municipality by means of the central place
index and the functional classification of towns with regard to population size. The
results obtained for each municipality is consequently related to the main town within
the specific urban centre. The results allowed for interurban comparison and
measurement as identified within the aims of the study. From the empirical study it is
disclosed that Kimberley acquires prominence as the urban centre of greatest spatial
importance within the study area, followed by Kathu, Kuruman, Barkley West, Jan
Kempdorp, Bothithong and Warrenton.
This study contributes in a number of ways to the measurement of urban centres,
including the classification of urban indicators into four broad categories, i.e. normative
welfare, satisfaction, descriptive social and spatial indicators. This study also proposes
the sifting of possible indicators by measuring them against certain prerequisites.
Methods are proposed for calculating the Vitality Index, including the ranking and
scoring of urban centres. It is proposed that shortcomings that are identified for the
urban centres be addressed by policy initiatives, comprising a set of objectives and
strategies to correct imbalances. The Vitality Index also provides a basis for structuring
national and provincial growth policies, in the identification of urban centres with
sustainable growth potential and vitality. | |
