Spatial data infrastructure - what spatial data infrastructure
by Clare van Zwieten, EE Publishers
 GIS is integral to government operations and yet here in SA, treasure troves of GIS data lie hidden in silo structures while various government departments and local municipalities blow their budgets hiring consultants to provide them with data that is actually freely available to them, if only they knew it was available and how to access it... ( more) |
Frustrated wage negotiations halt new land transactions
by Gavin Lloyd, SAGI
 Several critical surveyor-general offices have effectively ceased to function and others are on a go-slow due to the failure of protracted negotiations about wages and staff levels over the last year within the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. Despite meetings between NEHAWU and the minister in late January, there had been no breakthrough... ( more) |
Registration of GISc practitioners in South Africa
by Heindrich du Plessis, GISSA
 There is a growing demand for persons competent in geographical information science (GISc). The US Bureau of Labour Statistics projected a growth of up to 26% in the GISc labour market. In SA, govt departments are already experiencing vacancies in the region of 30%. In 1998 the DST, identified geomatics as one of five technology focus areas for the ICT roadmap... ( more) |
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PLATO re-opens grandfather clause
Information from PLATO
Notice is hereby given that the South African Council for Professional and Technical Surveyors (PLATO) has resolved to allow a further opportunity, for persons who feel that they may qualify for registration in terms of Section 20(2)(A) or Section 22(3) of Act 40 of 1984 (as amended by Act 170 of 1993), to apply for registration with the council. Applications must the reach the registrar's office on or before 31 May 2010... ( more) |
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Rethinking our unsustainable housing and urban design policies
by Gavin Lloyd, Lloyd and Hill
A radically new approach to low cost housing is needed that recognises the limited amount of accessible land available within our cities, that addresses the multitude of social ills carried over from our past, that delivers within a recession and, importantly, that factors in an evolutionary housing path to be followed from our current limited capacity towards more advanced solutions that will be possible in 30 years time... (more) |
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Cadastres and climate change
by Prof. Paul van der Molen, Kadaster International
Land registers and cadastres have to extend their function beyond the conventional use for land markets and land taxation. The data comprised in the land information systems are also useful to facilitate government policy on adapting to and mitigating climate change. Registering new rights in the form of carbon credit titles would be feasible. With all these aspects in mind, the idealistic concept of registers and cadastres as "multi-purpose" land administration systems becomes a real possibility... (more) |
Geospatial data management within SA's national mapping organisation
by Patrick Vorster and Raoul Duesimi, CDNGI
SA's National Mapping Organisation, the Chief Directorate Surveys and Mapping (CDSM), was renamed the Chief Directorate National Geo-spatial Information (CDNGI) in 2009 (www.cdsm.gov.za). The CDNGI forms part of the National Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (the former Department of Land Affairs). The CDNGI provides geodetic and topographic surveying and geospatial information services in terms the Land Survey Act... (more) |
Working towards a successful Gauteng City-Region
by Chris Wray, GCRO
Traditional approaches to planning and governance need to adapt to accelerated rates of urbanisation. The Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) aims to assist in providing the Gauteng City-Region with better planning and management, and improved co-operative government relations. Better planning, management and co-operative government relies on improved data, information, analysis and reflective evaluation. The GCRO is responsible for building this strategic intelligence... (more) |
Applications for hyperspectral imaging technology
Information from Southern Mapping Company
Southern Mapping Company, an airborne survey company using light detection and ranging (lidar), has invested in hyperspectral imaging technology.Their current lidar equipment is able to produce a three dimensional digital terrain model on which the images are superimposed. With the addition of the hyperspectral remote sensing technology, the company will now be able to identify individual species of plants and trees, noxious gasses and aerosols, minerals and soil types... (more) |
Image accuracy checkpoint collection guide
by Ashley Sedorovich et al
This guide is designed to help you perform a rigorous accuracy assessment while minimising the effort to do so, by providing an overview of how to collect high-quality ground checkpoints. In this white paper you will find information on what a photogrammetry target is, what one looks like, what the dimensions are based on scale, where to place them, and how to locate ground checkpoints if a photogrammetry target is not available... (more) |
Supply chain analysis
by Craig Gers, Solomon Risk Management
While working for a former employee, we undertook some exciting supply chain work which combined crop models, historical rainfall data, GIS, storage capacities of grain silos, road and rail networks - multi-modal transport mechanisms, producer locations, consumer locations, market prices of the commodities (SAFEX) and crop production areas. Supply chain analysis consists of a quantitative analysis of inputs and outputs between firms, prices and value added along a supply chain through agent accounts... (more) |
Transforming location intelligence into profit
by John Sorrell, DMTI Spatial
Some progressive organisations are beginning to recognise the value of location as an organising principle, and how its many references embedded in corporate information can be applied to current business problems. Through the use of location intelligence technology, tightly integrated with business workflows where location information resides, these organisations are activating a latent asset and applying the benefits across the enterprise... (more) |
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Industry and institute news
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