Updated CSIR/SACN South African

Settlement Typology Van Huyssteen, E., Mans, G., le Roux, A., Maritz, J., Ngidi, M. & Maditse, K. CSIR, Built Environment Date: March 2015

For more information contact evhuyssteen@csir.co.za

Citation: Van Huyssteen, E., Mans, G., le Roux, A., Maritz, J., Ngidi, M. & Maditse, K. 2015.

Updated CSIR/SACN South African Settlement Typology. CSIR document. Available on stepsa.org

Introduction

Over the last couple of years, the CSIR, together with a number of other role players, has invested in

building capability to provide spatial planning, analysis, modelling and platform support to

government, with a focus on strengthening strategic regional, inter-regional and intergovernmental

planning, resource allocation and monitoring and evaluation in South Africa.

The functional settlement typology provides a mechanism to identify, calculate and analyse a set of

development information and trends pertaining to the range of towns and cities, as well as high

density rural settlements across South Africa. It enables understanding and analyses of the network

of settlements, towns and cities and the hierarchical and functional relationships between them

(Figure 1), especially related to government and economic service provision and migration.

Due to its wide application, for example by: the NPC in the National spatial diagnostics report

(stepsa.org); the DRDLR in understanding development dynamics in the priority rural districts;

StatsSA in analysing household survey data; and to inform discussion regarding urban v/s rural by

DCOG in the development of the latest Urban Development Framework (Van Huyssteen et al, 2013)

the typology has been refined and updated in 2013-2014. This report will highlight the process

followed in updating the SA settlements Typology.

Figure 1: South African town and settlement functions and sizes (2013)

Background

The Functional Settlement Typology was originally developed by the CSIR as part of the National

Spatial Trends Overview project (2008-2009) commissioned by the South African Cities Network, The

Presidency and former DPLG to inform Cabinet discussions on urban development policy aspects

and the process of developing a National Urban Development Framework (SACN et al, 2009). It was

developed through an interactive technical and consultative process, overseen by an expert reference

group. The typology development was widely consulted, presented and utilised within development

planning, and government policy and planning units (Van Huyssteen et al, 2009 & Spocter et al,

2010).

Figure 2 provides an indication of the core building blocks utilised to develop the original 2008/2009

typology.

Figure 2: Original methodology of the CSIR/SACN functional settlement typology

The National Planning Commission has since its inception made use of some of the spatial analysis,

as well as spatial planning and policy inputs developed over the last couple of years in support of

national policy and planning processes, provincial planning processes, as well as municipal

(especially district and metropolitan) planning processes.

After a number of discussions on the possible nature of a spatial narrative, and the development of

framework for such a narrative, that could support the NPC work, the CSIR was requested to provide

support to strategic spatial analysis and planning support to the NPC in terms of inter alia refining

typologies and profiling of settlements and sparsely populated areas.

The basic methodology followed, was to focus on providing some profiling and enhanced

understanding of settlement and land-use patterns to inform the Spatial Diagnostic and Spatial

Narrative. Given the request, the basic value that could be added within limited scope and budget,

making use of most recent investment by the CSIR during 2010-2011 in terms of updating the

mesoframe (basis of former typologies), updated disaggregation methodologies (utilised for

disaggregation of data for the platform), as well as recent updates in data, have been that of revisiting

existing typologies in order to support the identification, description and understanding of:

Nodes, Settlement and land-use patterns (figures 3 and 4),

Sparsely populated areas of SA, in terms of key land (figure 5) and

Municipality wide settlement patterns.

Below are the results of the updated settlement and land-use description:

Figure 3: South African settlement patterns

Figure 4: South African nodes and clusters (Updated settlement typology)

Figure 5: South Africa's sparsely populated area

The spatial distribution of cities, towns and settlements according to the typology is set out on Figure

6, whilst more detailed definitions are set out in Table 1. It’s important to note that place names of the

biggest and most well-known town/settlement are used for ease of reference and location

identification and metro’s and secondary cities are included within the ‘city area’ category within the

typology.

Figure 6: CSIR/SACN Functional settlement typology (2013)

City Region Areas

Population >1million, Government & Economic Services Index >7 EXAMPLES: Global city region: Gauteng Coastal City regions: Cape Town City Region, eThekwini City Region, Nelson Mandela Bay City Region

City Areas

Population 500 000 – 1million Government & Economic Services Index 2-5 EXAMPLES (this includes metro’s and secondary city areas) Polokwane Mbombela Pietermaritzburg Buffalo City Mangaung

Regional Service Centres

Regional Centre 1

Population 300 000 -500 000 Government & Economic Services Index 1-2 EXAMPLES Regional Service Centres - high population numbers and high economic activity: Rustenburg Witbank/Middelburg New Castle Richards Bay Regional Centre 2

Population 100 000 - 300 000 Government & Economic Services Index >0.3 EXAMPLES Regional Service Centres - high population numbers in densely settled areas: Mthata Queenstown Thohoyandou Tzaneen Grahamstown Mmabatho

Regional Centre 3

Population 40 000 - 100 000 Government & Economic Services Index >0.25 EXAMPLES Regional Service Centres - low population numbers playing a key role in sparsely populated areas: Kimberley Upington Worcester

Service Town

Population mostly >20 000 Significant role in hinterland (service Index 0.065-0.25) EXAMPLES Saldanha Groblersdal Piet Retief Bothaville Lichtenburg

Local and Niche Towns

Population size varies widely Service role in immediate surroundings (Service Index 0.001-0.065) EXAMPLES Local Towns: Alice (EC), Koppies (FS) Niche Towns: Clarens (FS), Prince Albert (WC), Riebeeck-Kasteel (WC)

High Density Settlement Areas

Rural Nodes in High Density Settlement Areas - Meso Zones with >100 people/square km OR more than 10 people/square km PLUS Economic activity in service sector - identified as areas within high density settlement areas, with highest levels of access to household income High Density Settlement Areas - Meso Zones with >100 people/square km OR more than 10 people/square km PLUS Economic activity in service sector. These areas typically have very little economic activity, no consolidated town centre/nodes, and a spread out morphological structure.

Results

It is estimated that almost 78% of South Africa’s population of 51.7 million people, reside within cities

and towns throughout the so-called urban and rural landscapes. It is calculated that by 2011 of the

78%,, 42% of South Africa’s population resided within the four City Region areas of Gauteng, Cape

Town, eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay; 7.5% lived within Cities and about 14% in a several large

Service Towns and the remainder in smaller towns. Given that a further 12% of South Africans

actually reside in high density ‘rural’ settlements and that a mere 14% of the country’s population

reside further than 20km away from a formal town or city1, it is evident that South Africa can no longer

afford to ignore the fact that this country’s development challenges will need to be addressed within

its network of cities, towns and settlements.

A summary table on the number of settlement types per province are shown in table 2. Included in the

tables are also the total population and the name of each settlement for reference purposes. What is

important to note is that Gauteng City Region cuts into four other provinces besides Gauteng, i.e. the

Gauteng City Region relates to five provinces. In the rest of the report the Free State, Limpopo,

Mpumalanga and North West shows statistics for a City Region, but these are areas that form part of

the Gauteng City Region. A complete list of Local and / or Niche Towns are not included as it is too

extensive. A shorter provincial summary on Local and / or Niche Towns are provided in Table 3.

Type Name Province Population Count of type per province

01CityRegion Port Elizabeth CR Eastern Cape 1 149 989 1

01CityRegion

Gauteng CR S Free State 173 416

Cross cutting GCR

Gauteng CR Eku Gauteng 3 182 680

Gauteng CR Joh Gauteng 4 434 816

Gauteng CR S Gauteng 852 968

Gauteng CR Tsh Gauteng 2 875 740

Gauteng CR W Gauteng 797 770

Gauteng CR N Limpopo 518

1 For a definition of settlements (City Regions, Cities, Towns, etc.) see Table 1.1

Rest of South Africa

Less densely populated areas, Sparsely populated areas, mountainous, national parks

Table 1: Functional settlement type (CSIR/SACN Settlement Typology, 2013)

Gauteng CR N Mpumalanga 316 912

Gauteng CR W North West 525 143

01CityRegion eThekwini CR KwaZulu-Natal 3 673 345 1

01CityRegion Cape Town CR Western Cape 3 872 895 1

02City East London C Eastern Cape 540 098 1

02City Bloemfontein/Botshabelo CA Free State 725 770 1

02City Pietermaritzburg C KwaZulu-Natal 689 239 2

02City Richards Bay C KwaZulu-Natal 437 439

02City Polokwane C Limpopo 513 530 1

02City Nelspruit C Mpumalanga 483 113 1

02City Rustenburg C North West 486 875 1

03RegionalCentre1 Welkom RSC Free State 335 519 1

03RegionalCentre1 New Castle RSC KwaZulu-Natal 426 831 1

03RegionalCentre1 Tzaneen RSC Limpopo 366 659 1

03RegionalCentre1 Witbank RSC Mpumalanga 343 835 1

03RegionalCentre1 Klerksdorp/Stilfontein RSC North West 355 834 1

04RegionalCentre2 Butterworth RSC Eastern Cape 73 807 5

04RegionalCentre2 King Williams Town RSC Eastern Cape 143 823

04RegionalCentre2 Mthatha RSC Eastern Cape 210 920

04RegionalCentre2 Port Shepstone/Margate RSC Eastern Cape 20 263

04RegionalCentre2 Queenstown RSC Eastern Cape 103 658

04RegionalCentre2 Phuthaditjhaba RSC Free State 273 983 1

04RegionalCentre2 Estcourt RSC KwaZulu-Natal 150 296 5

04RegionalCentre2 Ladysmith RSC KwaZulu-Natal 286 793

04RegionalCentre2 Port Shepstone/Margate RSC KwaZulu-Natal 218 302

04RegionalCentre2 Stanger RSC KwaZulu-Natal 202 715

04RegionalCentre2 Vryheid RSC KwaZulu-Natal 137 357

04RegionalCentre2 Dennilton/Siyabuswa RSC Limpopo 78 476 5

04RegionalCentre2 Makhado RSC Limpopo 103 111

04RegionalCentre2 Makopane RSC Limpopo 115 075

04RegionalCentre2 Phalaborwa/Namakgale RSC Limpopo 132 418

04RegionalCentre2 Thohoyandou RSC Limpopo 275 617

04RegionalCentre2 Bushbuckridge RSC Mpumalanga 152 452 5

04RegionalCentre2 Dennilton/Siyabuswa RSC Mpumalanga 209 257

04RegionalCentre2 Hazyview RSC Mpumalanga 130 932

04RegionalCentre2 Middelburg RSC Mpumalanga 163 631

04RegionalCentre2 Secunda RSC Mpumalanga 186 190

04RegionalCentre2 Mmabatho RSC North West 212 553 2

04RegionalCentre2 Potchefstroom RSC North West 148 097

04RegionalCentre2 Kimberley RSC Northern Cape 226 554 2

04RegionalCentre2 Upington RSC Northern Cape 105 063

04RegionalCentre2 George RSC Western Cape 182 369 3

04RegionalCentre2 Paarl/Wellington RSC Western Cape 225 985

04RegionalCentre2 Worcester RSC Western Cape 117 292

05RegionalCentre3 Grahamstown RSC Eastern Cape 67 389 1

05RegionalCentre3 Bethlehem RSC Free State 77 607 2

05RegionalCentre3 Kroonstad RSC Free State 97 025

05RegionalCentre3 Bela Bela RSC Limpopo 42 438 2

05RegionalCentre3 Groblersdal RSC Limpopo 53 086

05RegionalCentre3 Bethal RSC Mpumalanga 59 233 3

05RegionalCentre3 Ermelo RSC Mpumalanga 84 615

05RegionalCentre3 Standerton RSC Mpumalanga 85 644

05RegionalCentre3 Lichtenburg RSC North West 41 794 1

05RegionalCentre3 Knysna RSC Western Cape 51 898 4

05RegionalCentre3 Mossel Bay RSC Western Cape 80 613

05RegionalCentre3 Oudtshoorn RSC Western Cape 80 286

05RegionalCentre3 Vredenburg RSC Western Cape 75 981

06ServiceTown Aliwal North ST Eastern Cape 33 468 14

06ServiceTown Bizana ST Eastern Cape 32 614

06ServiceTown Cradock ST Eastern Cape 35 434

06ServiceTown Dimbaza ST Eastern Cape 31 187

06ServiceTown Flagstaff ST Eastern Cape 20 552

06ServiceTown Graaf-Reinet ST Eastern Cape 37 560

06ServiceTown Jeffreys Bay ST Eastern Cape 56 303

06ServiceTown Lusikisiki ST Eastern Cape 50 473

06ServiceTown Matatiele Eastern Cape 11 680

06ServiceTown Middelburg (E.C.) ST Eastern Cape 18 575

06ServiceTown Mount Frere ST Eastern Cape 24 495

06ServiceTown Sterkspruit ST Eastern Cape 33 802

06ServiceTown Stutterheim ST Eastern Cape 25 579

06ServiceTown Wittlesea ST Eastern Cape 33 741

06ServiceTown Bothaville ST Free State 44 267 8

06ServiceTown Ficksburg ST Free State 39 057

06ServiceTown Harrismith ST Free State 42 938

06ServiceTown Hennenman ST Free State 23 188

06ServiceTown Ladybrand ST Free State 23 450

06ServiceTown Parys ST Free State 46 780

06ServiceTown Viljoenskroon ST Free State 28 449

06ServiceTown Wesselsbron ST Free State 25 417

06ServiceTown Dundee ST KwaZulu-Natal 54 338 10

06ServiceTown Eshowe ST KwaZulu-Natal 29 828

06ServiceTown Greytown ST KwaZulu-Natal 21 033

06ServiceTown Isithebe ST KwaZulu-Natal 27 470

06ServiceTown Kokstad ST KwaZulu-Natal 50 912

06ServiceTown Mandini ST KwaZulu-Natal 59 709

06ServiceTown Nqutu ST KwaZulu-Natal 28 950

06ServiceTown Pongola ST KwaZulu-Natal 31 982

06ServiceTown Richmond ST KZ KwaZulu-Natal 27 907

06ServiceTown Ulundi ST KwaZulu-Natal 47 883

06ServiceTown Giyani Limpopo 45 626 10

06ServiceTown Jane Furse ST Limpopo 30 801

06ServiceTown Lebowakgomo ST Limpopo 41 922

06ServiceTown Lephalale ST Limpopo 40 656

06ServiceTown Modimolle ST Limpopo 39 924

06ServiceTown Mookgophong ST Limpopo 21 812

06ServiceTown Mpheni ST Limpopo 35 718

06ServiceTown Musina ST Limpopo 40 973

06ServiceTown Thabazimbi ST Limpopo 25 874

06ServiceTown Xitlhtlani ST Limpopo 27 046

06ServiceTown Acornhoek Mpumalanga 93 316 9

06ServiceTown Balfour ST Mpumalanga 21 444

06ServiceTown Barberton ST Mpumalanga 51 946

06ServiceTown Delmas ST Mpumalanga 63 505

06ServiceTown Kamaqhekeza ST Mpumalanga 52 259

06ServiceTown Kriel ST Mpumalanga 26 742

06ServiceTown Lydenburg ST Mpumalanga 41 428

06ServiceTown Matsulu ST Mpumalanga 48 798

06ServiceTown Piet Retief ST Mpumalanga 63 975

06ServiceTown Hartbeesfontein ST A North West 26 331 9

06ServiceTown Hartbeesfontein ST B North West 15 744

06ServiceTown Hartswater ST North West 7 071

06ServiceTown Itsoseng ST North West 49 144

06ServiceTown Ledig ST North West 23 204

06ServiceTown Schweizer-Reneke ST North West 39 221

06ServiceTown Taung ST North West 35 790

06ServiceTown Vryburg ST North West 44 911

06ServiceTown Wolmaransstad ST North West 33 770

06ServiceTown De Aar ST Northern Cape 29 410 6

06ServiceTown Hartswater ST Northern Cape 56 092

06ServiceTown Kathu ST Northern Cape 19 864

06ServiceTown Kuruman ST Northern Cape 64 639

06ServiceTown Richmond ST NC Northern Cape 5 155

06ServiceTown Springbok ST Northern Cape 19 049

06ServiceTown Beaufort West ST Western Cape 32 887 10

06ServiceTown Ceres ST Western Cape 45 887

06ServiceTown Franschhoek ST Western Cape 20 250

06ServiceTown Grabouw ST Western Cape 38 164

06ServiceTown Hermanus ST Western Cape 46 322

06ServiceTown Malmesbury ST Western Cape 40 345

06ServiceTown Plettenberg Bay ST Western Cape 44 341

06ServiceTown Robertson ST Western Cape 28 807

06ServiceTown Swellendam ST Western Cape 19 091

06ServiceTown Vredendal ST Western Cape 22 551 Table 2: Names of settlement types, the total population within each settlement as well as the number of settlement types per province

Province Sum of L&N population Count of L&N Towns

Eastern Cape 720 744 94

Free State 545 539 61

Gauteng 12 135 2

KwaZulu-Natal 499 875 64

Limpopo 842 661 95

Mpumalanga 455 332 39

North West 460 136 43

Northern Cape 342 241 65

Western Cape 449 228 80 Table 3: Summary table on the number and total population of Local and/or Niche Towns per province

Findings from recently conducted analyses made available on the StepSA platform, also illustrate the

crucial role that these populated places, and especially city region areas play as economic engines

and job baskets within South Africa. An estimated 57% of the formal economy alone is being

generated in the City Regions. We add to the City Regions the network of Cities and major towns this

includes more than 80% of the total South African economy. Table 4 provides an overview of the

extent (land area in square kilometres), population and economic activity (using GVA as indicator) for

the various categories of place. The magnitude of this is set out on Figure 1 above.

Table 4: Comparative analyses of population and economic activity in South Africa (Van Huyssteen et al, 2013)

For more information on the updated CSIR/SACN South African Settlement Typology contact:

Elsona van Huyssteen, CSIR

evhuyssteen@csir.co.za

Functional Settlement

Type (CSIR/SACN

2013v2)

Area_Km % of

National

Area

Population

2011

% of

National

Population

Service

Economy (Service Sector

GVA (xR1000))

Economic

Activity (*Total GVA

(xR1000))

Contribu-

tion to

Formal Nat

Econ Activity

CityRegions 20 575 1.65% 21 856 192 42.22% 758 652 1 185 948 56.77%

Cities 8 225 0.66% 3 876 064 7.49% 102 574 178 276 8.53%

TOTAL CITIES 28 800 2.30% 25 732 256 49.70% 861 226 1 364 224 65.30%

Regional Centres 18 079 1.45% 7 313 730 14.13% 141 580 229 697 10.99%

ServiceTowns 7 232 0.58% 2 720 372 5.25% 47 847 87 232 4.18%

TOTAL MAJOR TOWNS 25 311 2.02% 10 034 102 19.38% 189 427 316 929 15.17%

Local or Niche Towns 29 756 2.38% 4 327 891 8.36% 69 102 121 169 5.80%

Rural Nodes in High

density areas 928 0.07% 191 123 0.37% 2 537 4 850 0.23%

TOTAL SMALL TOWNS 30 684 2.45% 4 519 014 8.73% 71 639 126 019 6.03%

High Density

Settlements 59 276 4.74% 6 081 912 11.75% 40 074 73 587 3.52%

Sparse Rural Areas 1 070 931 85.66% 3 036 010 5.86% 51 830 184 994 8.86%

Dense Rural Areas 35 258 2.82% 2 366 803 4.57% 13 921 23 351 1.12%

TOTAL REST OF SA 1 165 465 93.22% 11 484 725 22.18% 105 826 281 932 13.50%

NATIONAL TOTALS 1250260 100.00% 51770097 100% 1228117 2089104 100%

* GVA Total excludes Construction sector

77.82%

SOURCE: CSIR GAP 2013 based on StatsSA Census 1996,2001,2011; SACN/CSIR Settlement Typology 2013v2, CSIR TAT (Temporal

Analyses Tool) 2013

2011 Population in cities & tow

ns

2011 Population in cities,towns &

Settlements

89.56%

References

SACN, the Presidency and DCOG (2009). National Spatial Trends Overview. CSIR: Unpublished

Report.

SACN/CSIR Settlement Typology (2013).

Spocter, M., van Huyssteen, E., Mans, G. and Green, C. (2010) Overview of Settlement Typologies

in South Africa. Unpublished Report, CSIR.

Van Huyssteen, E., le Roux, A. and Mans, G. (2013) Exploring the value of Settlement Typologies in

Urban v/s Rural Definitions. Unpublished Presentation to the IUDF Urban/Rural Definition

Working Group, 14 January 2013.

Van Huyssteen, E., Manfred, G., Maritz, J., le Roux, A. and Nigidi, M. (2013) Update of the

CSIR/SACN South African Settlement Typology. Unpublished Report, CSIR.

Van Huyssteen, E., Mans, G. and Ngidi, M. (2013) Reaching development outcomes through a

dedicated focus on cities, towns and settlements. StepSA Policy Brief Series: Policy Brief 3.

Accessed at www.stepsa.org.za on 2 March 2014.

Van Huyssteen, E., Mans, G., Maritz, J., van Niekerk, W., Le Roux, A., Green, C., et al. (2014).

Regional and temporal dynamics of South African cities and towns. Unpublished PG research

report. Pretoria: CSIR.

Van Huyssteen, E; Biermann, S.; Naudé, A. and le Roux, A. (2009) Advances in Spatial Analysis to

Support a more Nuanced Reading of the South African Space Economy, Urban Forum, 20 (2),

195-214).