A poverty indicator system for local government

This article looks at the implications of using indicators (such as poverty levels, housing levels, access to services, employment rates, etc.) as part of a democratic and accountable process of local governance. It is argued that underlying the advocacy of particular indicators of poverty are different models of poverty and of governance. Some popular schools of thought on poverty are examined in terms of both models and measurement (indicators). A framework is proposed for developing indicators, and a set of housing indicators inspired by the United Nations' Urban Indicators Programme is considered using this framework. It is suggested that the current approach to developing indicators in South Africa is not integrated or coherent because it lacks grounding in an explicit and defensible model of poverty.