The fourth FutureFact conference, to be held on Thursday, 24 July 2008, in Johannesburg, focuses on the potential tipping points for these changes, relevant to future scenarios for business and the country. Here are some findings on township living from the FutureFact survey, which has been monitoring the attitudes, values and beliefs of South Africans for 10 years now.
Entitled “South Africa: The 29th Day - Have we reached our Tipping Point?”, the conference concept is based on the Malcolm Gladwell book, The Tipping Point: The number of lilies doubles every day, and it takes thirty days to fill the pond. On the 29th day, it is only half full. A few days before that it will seem nearly empty. In the last days, it tips. Clearly change was a long time in the making, but only became evident near the 30th day.
The sample was around 2500 adults aged 16+, from a universe of all adults throughout the country other than deep rural areas (communities of less than 500 people). African Response conducted the computer-assisted personal interviews. Here are some more findings, on township living:
Black suburbanites who socialise in or visit townships
- While many people have moved from the townships into suburbs, most of them go back to visit or to socialise.
- The conviviality, vibe and sense of community that is lacking in the suburbs, is missed by those now living in the suburbs.
- This is true for both the middle and upper LSM groups.
Black township residents who are more likely to continue living in a township than they were a year ago
- The vast majority of those living in townships are more likely to continue living there than they were a year ago.
- The majority of these are by choice - not necessarily because they have no options. Seven in 10 of township residents live there by choice.
- With the increase in facilities and amenities, the townships have transformed from what used to be dusty and largely neglected (by the authorities) areas into thriving business and social suburbs.
- Historically people had to leave the townships to do shopping, banking, etc. Now with the major developments taking place in the townships, people are able to do their shopping closer to home.
- The whole face of the townships has changed and continues to change. This is transforming our cities from being split into townships and suburbs, to now becoming simply suburbs. Some more upmarket and some downmarket.
- South Africa is becoming a patchwork quilt of interesting and dynamic suburbs.
Environmental consciousness: recycling
- The desire to recycle is there - people either find it too difficult or are perhaps unwilling to put themselves out.
- 31% of the population do already recycle to some extent.
- If more recycling facilities were made available to make it easier, more people would recycle.
- We do however, need to do a fair amount of educating on environmental issues - only 50% of the population say that they are “fairly knowledgeable about global warming/climate change”.
- And only 50% feel that changing their own personal habits can help reduce the impact of global warming/climate change.
- An alarming 16% (3 million people) admitted to “often drop my rubbish in the street/out of my car”. Makes one wonder how many people didn't admit to this.
- We still have a long way to go.
The conference will focus on the significant trends both through presentations from the FutureFact survey itself and from a range of expert speakers. All this is essential for anyone who wants to try to make sense of the social and political dynamics of the country either for themselves or for their organisations' marketing, strategy and scenario planning for the future.
Details
When: 24 July 2008
Where: The Forum, Didata Campus, Bryanston, Johannesburg.
Time: 8.30am - 4.15pm.
Registration: www.futurefact.co.za
