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Small Area Indices of Multiple Deprivation in South Africa

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Abstract

This paper presents the Provincial Indices of Multiple Deprivation that were constructed by the authors at ward level using 2001 Census data for each of South Africa’s nine provinces. The principles adopted in conceptualising the indices are described and multiple deprivation is defined as a weighted combination of discrete dimensions of deprivation. The methodological approach used is outlined and key findings are presented for one province—the Eastern Cape. The paper summarises the ways in which the research is being developed further and the potential uses of these tools for policy and research.

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Notes

  1. A more detailed account of the conceptual framework underpinning the PIMD 2001 and the methodology used can be found in Noble et al. (2006c).

  2. There are several paths to the hierarchical structure of the Census geography, two of which are: South Africa→province→district municipality or metro→municipality→main place→sub place; and South Africa→province→district municipality or metro→municipality→electoral ward.

  3. An important consideration for measuring change in levels of deprivation over time.

  4. District Management Areas and fragments of those wards split between province boundaries where the population was less than 100 were eventually omitted from each PIMD.

  5. Shrinkage estimation (i.e. empirical Bayesian estimation) is a technique that can be applied to a score to deal with unreliability due to large standard errors. The effect of shrinkage is to move the score for a small area towards the average score of a larger area, for example moving a ward score towards the average score for the municipality in which the ward is located. The extent of movement depends on the reliability of the indicator and the heterogeneity of the larger areas. A robust score will move a negligible amount as it is related to the standard error. Areas may become more or less deprived depending on their deprivation score in relation to the municipality mean.

  6. The actual distribution employed is one of a family of similar distributions. In the UK indices, the most deprived 10% of wards are stretched out, but in South Africa, with much higher levels of deprivation it was thought that it was appropriate to spread out the most deprived quarter of the distribution.

  7. A key goal of the project was to make the data domains (ranks) and PIMD (scores and ranks) publicly available. The data can be downloaded from http://www.casasp.ox.ac.uk/imd.html or http://www.hsrc.ac.za/Research_Programme-Page-64.phtml.

  8. This province contains the cities or large towns of Port Elizabeth, East London and Mthatha.

  9. Metropolitan areas (of which there are six in South Africa) and district councils (of which there are 47) are at a level below provinces in the geographical hierarchy. The district councils sub-divide into local municipalities or district management areas.

  10. At the time of the 2001 Census, Alfred Nzo district municipality included Umzimkhulu local municipality. However, following a recent process of municipal demarcation, the municipality has been reassigned to Sisonke district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province. For the purposes of reporting, and following the lead of spatial initiatives such as the ISRD programme, we have treated Umzimkhulu as part of Alfred Nzo district municipality. Of the 23 most deprived wards falling into the Alfred Nzo district municipality, 10 are wards in Umzimkhulu.

  11. See http://www.capegateway.gov.za/Text/2008/3/idp_ck_central_karoo_district_2007.pdf, http://www.twk.org.za/Development/pdf/IDP2007-11.pdf, and http://www.witzenberg.gov.za/IDP/AdoptedIdp20072011.pdf, respectively.

  12. Research is currently underway to design a statistical geography—‘datazones’—across South Africa which are homogenous areas that have a more even population size and nest within municipality boundaries.

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Acknowledgments

The PIMD 2001 project was undertaken by the Centre for the Analysis of South African Social Policy at the University of Oxford in collaboration with the Human Sciences Research Council and Statistics South Africa. The research team comprised Professor Michael Noble and (in alphabetical order) Miriam Babita, Helen Barnes, Chris Dibben, Wiseman Magasela, Stefan Noble, Phakama Ntshongwana, Heston Phillips, Sharmla Rama, Benjamin Roberts, Gemma Wright and Sibongile Zungu. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the UNU-WIDER conference ‘Frontiers of Poverty Analysis’ in September 2008.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Oxford, Barnett House, 32 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK

    Michael Noble, Helen Barnes & Gemma Wright

  2. University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa

    Michael Noble

  3. Policy Analysis Unit, Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa

    Michael Noble

  4. Child, Youth, Family and Social Development, Human Sciences Research Council, Durban, South Africa

    Benjamin Roberts

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  1. Michael Noble
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Correspondence to Helen Barnes.

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Noble, M., Barnes, H., Wright, G. et al. Small Area Indices of Multiple Deprivation in South Africa. Soc Indic Res 95, 281–297 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-009-9460-7

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