Situational Analysis
3.2 Spatial Developmental Rationale
3.2.2 Settlement Patterns
! The development of the De Hoop Dam provides a tourism opportunity
! Is well located along the N11, R35 and R25
! There are registered erven throughout the municipality such as in areas like Motetema, Zaaiplaats, Elandsdoring, Walkraal
! There are a number of vacant stands located within Walkraal that are serviced
! The settlement pattern is spatially established throughout the area to fulfil basic needs
! There are large portions of vacant land that surrounds existing settlements that belongs to the state
! There are not sufficient hospitals to cater for the municipality
3.2.2 Settlement Patterns
The Limpopo Province Spatial Rationale, 2007 identified a settlement hierarchy for Limpopo and the hierarchy for the SDM area is also described in terms of this hierarchy. A settlement hierarchy is usually based on the classification of individual settlements (e.g. towns and villages). The settlement hierarchy as contained in the Limpopo Province Spatial Rationale and confirmed by the SDF is as follows:
! First order settlement -‐ made up of provincial growth points, district growth points and municipal growth points via Groblersdal, Monsterlus, and Motetema/Tafelkop.
! Second order settlements – made up of villages that are densely populated and have vibrant economic activities at unplanned settlements. This includes smaller urban towns as well via Ntwane, Elandslaagte, and Sephaku.
! Third order settlement – made up of local service points that are showing signs of growth via Moteti and Zoetmelksfontein.
! Fourth order settlement – made up of village service areas whose growth is stagnant.
! Fifth order settlement – made up of villages that are showing signs of not growing.
The settlement order determines the type of services to be provided e.g. shopping malls would be located in settlement order 1 and settlement order 2 manufacturing industries would be located mainly in settlement order 1 and to a limited extend settlement order 2.
The municipality as provincial growth point has identified the areas where economic activities could be initiated. Amongst other areas, the following space is earmarked:
! Groblersdal game farm reserved for residential purpose
! Groblersdal industrial site
! Roossenekal town establishment site
! Tafelkop shopping complex
The table below indicates Land ownership and description. The information has been consolidated into one table. A full analysis of the report is clearly captured on the ward based analysis report that was tabled to council.
Table 29: Land ownership
Communal Private Government Any other Challenges Land reserved for economic activities
109 villages 20 villages 21 None There is need to formalise all the informal
settlements
Land reserved for economic activities is clearly indicated in the municipal spatial development framework
Land use challenges
The municipality is faced with following land use challenges:
! Topography: A large percentage of land area within the municipal area cannot be considered for urban development due to the mountainous nature of the terrain, although this situation has other advantages in respect of water catchment areas, tourism value, climate, etc.
! Urban Sprawl / Spatial separations and disparities between towns and townships have caused inefficient provision of basic services, and transport costs are enormous. It further hinders the creation of a core urban complex that is essential for a healthy spatial pattern.
! High Potential Agricultural Land – the most central area and eastern parts of the municipality can be regarded as high potential agricultural land (irrigation), which will influence the spatial development of the area.
! The dependence of the local economy on Agriculture, and the current location of high potential agricultural land in relation to existing development and service networks, ensures that this factor will thus also influence future development initiatives. It is imperative that this resource be protected for the economic well being of the area.
! Environmental Sensitive areas -‐ The mountainous area and hydrological pattern to the central and eastern parts of the municipal area can be considered as development constraints and can also
influence the design of a future spatial pattern, in that their position is fixed. The areas along major rivers, as indicated on the mapping documentation, can however encourage a greenbelt effect.
! Huge backlogs in service infrastructure and networks in the underdeveloped areas require municipal expenditure far in excess of the revenue currently available within the local government system.
! The constant increase of informal settlement areas and skewed settlement patterns, are functionally inefficient and costly. It further bears the threat of neutralizing development alternatives by the reduction of land availability, and the problems associated with relocation of communities once they have established.
3.2.3.1 Land invasions
There are informal settlements in the municipality that make planning difficult and also increase the municipal burden of providing services to the communities. A process of formalising the areas mentioned in Table 31 has resumed. The National Department of Rural Development, through the Housing Development Agency, was appointed as consultant to the formalisation process.
Table 30: wards were affected by settlements that are not formalised:
Area Formalisation Progress
Zone 11 in Roossenekal Ward 30 Feasibility study completed Zuma Park in Dennilton Ward 07 Feasibility study completed
Congo in Motetema Ward 29 Feasibility study completed
Hlogotlou Stadium Ward 20 Feasibility study completed
Masakaneng Village (ward 14 ) next to Groblersdal Feasibility study completed
Figure 9: Informal Settlements in EML
Soure: Sekhukhne District Municipality GIS unit
Restricted access to land by the Municipality is due to inhibitive land cost (privately owned land). Statutory deterrents (state-‐owned land under tribal custodianship) would exacerbate attempts by the Council to orchestrate and encourage the development of a beneficial spatial pattern within the municipal area.
Construction of the new De Hoop dam in the north eastern part of the municipal area will have a significant influence on the spatial characteristics of the surrounding area.
Land use management and planning problems are:
! contradictory legislation and procedures caused by cross-‐border issues
! disparate land use management systems (up to 2006) in formerly segregated areas
! overlap between requirements for planning permissions and environmental impact management
! lack of a uniform land use management system for the whole area
! lack of a spatial development framework to guide and manage land use management
The land cover profile of the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality is indicated in Strategic vacant land in tems of ownership identified for different growth points.
Table 31: Land cover
Description Area (ha) Percentage
Cultivated: permanent -‐ commercial irrigated 231.4798 0.06 Cultivated: temporary-‐commercial dryland 14467.64 3.9 Cultivated: temporary-‐ commercial irrigated 27308.12 7.3 Cultivated: temporary-‐semi-‐commercial/subsistence dry
land 25714 6.9
Degraded: forest and woodland 20797.899 5.6
Degraded: thicket and bush land 1035.96 0.3
Degraded: unimproved grassland 8715.025 2.3
Forest and woodland 151860.732 40.8
Forest plantations 626.7495 0.2
Mines and quarries 1926.279 0.5
Thicket and bush land 51972.7276 14
Unimproved grassland 56215.189 15.1
Urban/built-‐up land-‐commercial 34.795 0.01
Urban/built-‐up land-‐residential 10718.76 2.9
Waterbodies 325.686 0.1
Total 371950.99 ha 100%
Source: SA Land Cover
! The majority of the Municipality is covered by forest and woodlands (40.8%)
! Thicket and bush land and unimproved grassland account for 29.1% of the area;
! Cultivated land accounts for 18.16% of the total area
! Only a small percentage of the area accounts for degraded land
Figure 10: Arability of soil
Source: EMLM SDF 2013
In summary, the following spatial challenges were identified
! Draft land use management tool
! Establishment of township in Groblersdal and Roosenekal `
! Land turner upgrading
! Town planning scheme reviewal
! Outdated Town Planning Scheme
! Non-‐Alignment of the TPS & Precinct plan