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ANNEXURE 2: IDENTIFYING OPTIMUM LOCATIONS

View data in Google Earth to identify potential sites for service points
Once you have imported the various data sets into Google Earth you can view them. Consider the
location of existing service points in relation to existing road networks and human settlements.
Also identify possible barriers to access such as conservation areas, mountains and large rivers.
Then identify settlements that might lack sufficient service points and where access to services
may need to be improved through the establishment of additional facilities.

Analysis with the aid of a GIS

A more advanced approach than the visualisation approach is to use the spatial analyses
functions that are available within a GIS. This includes the use of buffers and trade areas or
areas of influence/ jurisdiction. These methods can be used to identify areas that are presently
being covered by existing service points and areas where there is no coverage and high
concentration of people.
Use of buffers around existing service points to assess accessibility

Buffers of a particular radius (e.g. 3km) can be generated in GIS software around existing service
points. The areas covered by the buffers indicate the approximate reach of these facilitate.
Figure 2 shows 3km buffers (circles) around primary schools in the Bushbuckridge municipality.
Those areas that are not covered by the buffers would be considered to be out of reach of
schools in this area.

By examining these out-of-reach areas in Google Earth, it is possible to see the extent of the
population and road infrastructure so that a decision can be made about possibly locating a new
service point. The New Service Point marker in Figure 2 shows the possible location of a new
primary school considering the extent of the underlying population and access to roads. The
advantage of this approach is that it can be done quite quickly; the disadvantage is that it does
not consider variations in the terrain or road network and where people live.

To use the buffers you will have to do the following:

 Obtain to the existing service point data of the department and import it into the GIS
software. Use the GIS software to create buffers of a particular radius. The radius used
should be obtained from the access standards of the department (e.g. 3km travel distance
to schools) or defined in consultation with officials of the department.

 Export service points and buffers into a Google Earth KML or KMZ file format.

 Overlay service point and buffers data in Google Earth. Use a consultative approach to
view areas that are not covered by the buffers (i.e. out-of-reach areas) to see if there are
large concentrations of people in these areas. Also look where existing road networks are
situated so that new service points can be located in the most accessible location. Figure 2
shows where a new service point could be located using this approach.

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