Unit 3 - Rural Settlement Issues

Question 1

Rural-urban migration

Answer 1

People leave the rural areas to live in urban areas.

Taking places on global scales, especial long developing countries.

Question 2

Rural depopulation

Answer 2

Rural areas become depopulated, resulting in a decline of functions and services.

Towns become ghost towns.

Question 3

Causes of rural depopulation

Answer 3

• poverty
• distance from urban areas
• poor health care
• few employment opportunities
• few educational opportunities
• lack of basic services (clean water and electricity)

Question 4

Push factors

push people away from rural areas

Answer 4

• natural disasters, famine or floods.
• crop failures from floods or famine.
• limited food production, because of overgrazing, misuse of land, resulting in soil erosion.
• lack of jobs due to mechanization (modern machines), farmers need sewers workers.
• lake of safe clean water.
• low standard of living, poor quality of life.
• basic services close down (medical, schools and banking services).

Question 5

Pull factors

Pull people toward urban areas -8

Answer 5

• employment
• education, better schools and opportunities.
• more reliable food sources.
• better services, health care and entertainment.
• expectation of constant supply of clean and safe water.
• expectation of better housing and quality of life.
• industries and services offer better employment opportunities.
• factory works are paid more than farm workers and not affected by natural disasters.

Question 6

Consequences of rural depopulation

Answer 6

Farmers and residents spend less in smaller services centre as they prefer to shop in larger centers.

As result, small centers struggle to survive economically.

Young men leave first and women and elderly remain. Rural population becomes older.

As result, process of rural decline and decay sets in.

Question 7

Ghost town

Answer 7

A town that was once flourishing and populated.

Due to economic circumstances, it becomes completely abandoned.

Question 8

Urbanisation

Answer 8

Increased proportion of population living in urban areas.

Question 9

Strategies to address the effects of rural depopulation

Answer 9

Rural settlement problems in SA

Reconstruction and development programme (RDP) - 1994

GEAR (growth, employment and redistribution)

Comprehensive rural development programme (CRDP)

Question 10

Rural settlement problems in SA

Answer 10

Rural depopulation is a global phenomenon.

Problems in SA stem from discriminatory legislation and neglect of the majority black popular during apartheid.

Forced removals led to overpopulation in rural areas and deprived people of basic needs.

High population growth put pressure on

• limited family incomes
• social services
• natural resources

Question 11

Reconstruction an development programme (RDP) - 1994

Answer 11

Focus was on:

Meeting basic needs
Developing human resources
Building the economy
Creating a democratic society/state

Question 12

GEAR (growth, employment and redistribution)

Answer 12

Replaced RDP in 1996

Economic reform was directed towards:

• growing economy to create enough jobs
• redistribution of income opportunities in favor of the poor
• ensure available health care, education a other services.
• creating environments where homes and places of work are safe.

Question 13

Comprehensive rural development programme (CRDP)

Answer 13

Presently being implemented in SA

Aims to:

• eliminate poverty and food insecurity
• create sustainable rural settlements
• maximize and manage natural resources.

Question 14

What does the social justice issues in rural areas include?

Answer 14

Access to resources and land reform

Question 15

Social justice

Answer 15

Principal that all individuals are entitled to their basic human needs.

• food
• water
• clothing
• shelter
• healthcare and education

Question 15

Social justice issues (8)

Answer 15

1. Native land act of 1913, black South Africans were assigned 13.6% of land. The areas were called reserves and later became known as homelands
2. 1950s government passed laws stating that black South Africans have to live in homelands unless they had a pass allowing them to leave.
3. Homeland areas had poor soil conditions caused by overuse of land and resulted in degradation.
4. Lack of easy access to resources.
5. Subsistence farming practices. Poor soil fertility and unstable climate leads to poverty.
6. Gender inequality and lack of basic education leads to unemployment.
7. Access to primary healthcare is limited. TB + HIV widespread.
8. Rural infrastructure is poor. Limited access to sanitation and water.

Question 16

What does the government believe that can help to alleviate poverty?

Answer 16

Granting land ownership to communities and people in rural areas.

Question 17

Land reform programmes:

Strategies to help alleviate poverty

Answer 17

Land redistribution
Land restitution
Land reform

Question 18

Land redistribution

Answer 18

Land owned by government is allocated to disadvantaged and poor people (in rural areas) for settlement and farming

Question 19

Land restitution

Answer 19

Land that was forcibly removed from people under various discriminatory laws is returned to them.

People lodge claims through the Land Claims Court who decide on an outcome.

Question 20

Land reform

Answer 20

People are given the security of land tenure/occupancy, including communal land ownership and informal ownership (by farm workers and labour tenants).

As some labour tenants have lived on the same land for generations and have no other home.