Blue Crane Route Local Municipal area has a number of strategic environment advantages. It contains 97% of natural land covers, is centrally located between three national parks, contains biodiversity of regional and national significance, can boast incredible scenic beauty, and local conditions present a number of opportunities for renewable energy generation on a large scale. However the area faces a number of issues such as higher densities of population primarily concentrated in the three urban centres.

The low agricultural productivity and carrying capacity of much of the land in the municipality, combined with limited access to water for irrigation, has restricted development of the agricultural economy. The remoteness of the urban centres limits growth of business, services and sectors.

The Ikwezi Local Municipality is located in the Eastern Cape, one of the nine local municipalities located within the Cacadu District Municipality. Ikwezi includes three main settlements namely Jansenville, Klipplaat and Waterford, and covers an area of 4 449,7km2. It is an area characterized by low population density, high levels of poverty and excessive bulk water constraints, as well as very poor quality water(http://drupa16dev15.econsultant.co.za).

The Makana Local Municipality is located in the Eastern Cape province and forms part of the Cacadu District Municipality, which includes the Camdeboo, Blue Crane Route, Ikwezi, Baviaans, Sunday’s River Valley, Ndlambe, Kouga, Kou-Kamma, and Makana local municipalities. The MakanaLocal Municipality is situated almost in the middle of Port Elizabeth (to the east) and East London (to the west) on the N2 highway. (www.ru.ac.za).

The Ndlambe Local Municipality is a predominantly rural area with agriculture and tourism dominating the economy. It encompasses the towns of Kenton-on-sea, Boknes, Bathurst, Boesmansriviermond, Alexandra and Cannon Rocks. (http://www.cacadu.co.za/ndlambe)

The Sunday River Valley Local Municipality is one the developing local municipalities within the Cacadu District Municipality (western region). It is located in the Eastern Cape, approximately 80km north  east of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.read more »

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) are the two primary measures of inflation for South Africa. Both indicators are published on a monthly basis.The Consumer Price Index tracks the rate of change in the prices of goods and services purchased by consumers. The headline CPI is used as the inflation target measure which guides the South African Reserve Bank on the setting of interest rates.

The Producer Price Index tracks the rate of change in the prices charged by producers of goods. Stats SA publishes PPIs for different industries with the PPI for final manufactured goods being the headline PPI. Additional PPIs are compiled for Agriculture, forestry and fishing; Mining and quarrying; Electricity and water; Intermediate manufactured goods; Imports and Exports; and Construction.

The PPI is widely used by businesses as a contract escalator and as a general indicator of inflationary pressures in the economy.

The dawn of democracy in 1994 created a new dispensation in which access to basic services such as housing, water and sanitation was recognized as a fundamental human right. South Africa inherited high levels of poverty and it continues to be confronted with unequal and often inadequate access to resources, infrastructure and social services. The Bill of Rights enshrined the right to basic services and commanded that the state must take reasonable measures to achieve the progressive realisation of these rights. Faced by inadequate information about the state of development in South Africa, Statistics South Africa (then called the Central Statistical Service) launched the October Household Survey (OHS) programme in 1993. The survey was discontinued in 1999 and subsequently replaced by the General Household Survey (GHS) which was instituted in 2002 in order to determine the level of development in the country and the performance of programs and projects on a regular basis. The GHS continues to evolve and key questions are continuously added and/or modified in consultation with key stakeholders to maintain the relevance and quality of data. In addition to measuring access to key services, the level of satisfaction with, as well as perceived quality of selected services provided by Government are also measured.read more »

Travel survey – Online Updates The National Household Travel survey (NHTS) provides insight into the travel patterns of South African households, providing information on modes of transport used, such as land, air and water transport, as well as cycling, walking, public and private transport. Also included are statistics on travel times, transport challenges experienced by households, and travel patterns related to work, education and leisure. NHTS surveys were conducted in 2003, 2013 and 2020. Transport and the need for transport has become an important part of daily life in South Africa. Not only does the movement of goods and services play an important part in the South African economy, but the types of transport available to individuals affects spatial decisions in terms of work, entertainment, education and place of residence. Stats SA publishes a range of transport-related information in various reports and publications. Travel survey The National Household Travel survey (NHTS) provides insight into the travel patterns of South African households, providing information on modes of transport used, such as land, air and water transport, as well as cycling, walking, public and private transport. Also included are statistics on travel times, transport challenges experienced by households, and travel patterns related to work, education and leisure. NHTS surveys were conducted in 2003 and 2013. Transport and the economy Stats SA’s quarterly Gross domestic product (GDP) release provides information on the size and growth of various industries in the South African economy, including the transport industry. The same publication also includes figures on overall household expenditure on transport. The monthly Motor trade sales release provides the time series data of trade in motor vehicles and motor accessories. The Land transport survey, published on a monthly basis, provides data on passenger and freight transportation by land. The Producer Price Index (PPI) release provides information on the prices of transport equipment leaving the factory gate. The extent to which prices of fuel, public transport and private transport are changing is covered in the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) release. Employment Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) and Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) provide information on the number of individuals employed in various industries, including the transport industry. Financial indicators The Quarterly Financial Statistics (QFS) and Annual Financial Statistics (AFS) reports provide a financial overview of various industries, including transport, storage and communication. Data on turnover, income and expenditure, profit or loss and various balance sheet items are also included in the reports. The transport and storage industry report for 2013 provides more in-depth information on the size, nature and structure of the transport and storage industry. This periodic survey provides details on employment within the industry, trading income, expenditure, profit or loss, inventories, sales and services, and purchases.read more »