Beyond GDP in assessing development in South Africa: The Gauteng City-Region Socio-Economic Barometer

Although consensus to move beyond gross domestic product (GDP) for measuring development in Africa exists, efforts to operationalise the idea have been frustrated by institutional barriers and lack of an integrated methodology. This article addresses the methodological problem by introducing an innovative graphic tool - The Gauteng City-Region Socio-Economic Barometer. The tool pulls together a set of 38 indicators across 10 sectors into a single analytical visual. Its efficacy rests in its ability to show each individual indicator, sector, and the overall socio-economy simultaneously. The Barometer not only acts as a tracking and diagnostic tool but as a benchmarking tool as well. Applied to Gauteng province of South Africa, the Barometer shows that high levels of GDP do not necessarily mean good quality of life. Assessment of welfare solely on the basis of GDP can therefore be misleading for government. The Barometer methodology is an invaluable tool for governments committed to evidence-based planning.