South African Spatial Data Infrastructure
The South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SASDI) is an initiative of the South African government. It is concerned with geographical data such as maps, aerial and satellite photographs, and surveys. The purpose of SASDI is to make policies and technical standards regarding this kind of data.
SASDI is currently being developed by the Committee for Spatial Information (CSI). The CSI was established by the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act in 2003 (Act 54 of 2003) with a mandate to steer the process of implementing SASDI. The objective of the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SASDI) is to facilitate the capture, management, maintenance, integration, distribution and use of spatial information in South Africa.
Background
A spatial data infrastructure (SDI) is a data infrastructure implementing a framework of geographic data, metadata, users and tools that are interactively connected in order to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way. Another definition is the technology, policies, standards, human resources, and related activities necessary to acquire, process, distribute, use, maintain, and preserve spatial data.
The Spatial Data Infrastructure Act, 2003 was passed by Parliament in December 2003, and the President assented to the act in February 2004. The aim of the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act is to provide for the establishment of SASDI in order to regulate the collection, management, maintenance, integration, distribution and utilization of spatial/geographic information. The Act promotes the efficient and effective use of state resources by the sharing of the information among the different spheres of government.[1][2]
The passing of the Act can be seen as an acknowledgement of the strategic value of spatial information for South Africa. The challenge now is to implement the SASDI in compliance with the objectives of the Act. For this, it is essential that an understanding and appreciation of the value of spatial information for planning, management and decision-making permeate all SASDI stakeholders, including SASDI users from all sectors of society. [3]
Legislation
The South African Spatial Data Infrastructure Act was promulgated in 2003 (Act 54 of 2003) and the Committee for Spatial Information (CSI), as described in the Act, was established in 2010. The main objective of the SDI Act [4] is ‘…to establish the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SASDI), the Committee for Spatial Information (CSI) and an electronic metadata catalogue; to provide for the determination of standards and prescriptions with regard to the facilitation of the sharing of spatial information; to provide for the capture and publishing of metadata and the avoidance of duplication of such capture; and to provide for matters connected therewith’. According to the Act, SASDI is ‘established as the national technical, institutional and policy framework to facilitate the capture, management, maintenance, integration, distribution and use of spatial information’. [3]
Committee for Spatial Information
The Committee for Spatial Information (CSI) consists of a principal committee, established according to the Act and six sub-committees on Data, Systems, Standards, Policy and legislation, Education and training, and Marketing and communication, each with their own objectives as set out in the following terms of reference.
References
- ^ "NGI South African Spatial Data Infrastructure". NGI. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ "World Bank SDI Report - Worldwide SDI Development and Outreach". World Bank. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ a b Rautenbach, Victoria; Coetzee Serena; Smit Julian; du Plessis Heindrich; Muzondo Ivan (2012). "Identifying the target audiences, media and messages for SDI education and training in South Africa". GISSA Ukubuzana. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
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