Marginalisation: index results

In the first marginalisation index, we had four typologies: those who were 'fine', 'ok', 'at risk' or 'marginalised'.

The vast majority of respondents are 'fine' or 'ok' – 89% of the sample fall into these categories.

This is a far cry from the media perceptions and portrayals of 'crime capital of the world' and the like.

Marginalised

Scoring high, meaning performing worst or most worryingly – in 2009 we found 4,8% of the sample who were labelled ‘marginalised’ because they were scoring high on 5 or more items in the index. These were (and are, in the second 2011 survey) people genuinely on the margins of mainstream society, with extreme socio-political views, high levels of alienation and anomie, often victims of crime and suffering high poverty, and disconnected from society either through lack of media access or participation in civil society organisations.

At risk

This category included 8,4% of respondents in 2009. they were labelled ‘at risk’ precisely because they were scoring reasonably high – reasonably high - between 4<5 out of 10 - so somewhere between less and more worrying, i.e. they were ‘at risk’ of falling downwards into the ‘marginalised’ category or, if provided with the correct interventions, pulling themselves out of the ‘at risk’ and into the ‘OK’ category.

Those who were ‘OK’ -
scoring between 1<4 out
of 10 (remembering that
high scores are bad news)
increased from 64,5% to
70,1%

Let’s assume the 3,7% dropped from ‘fine’ to ‘OK’ – that may be less good news, but they at least drop to a still well-performing category. But assuming in this rather mechanical fashion that the drop in ‘fine’ can be translated into an increase in ‘OK’, the latter category increases to 68,3% of respondents – so it has also seen people move upwards from ‘at risk’ to ‘OK’ – that is where the remaining 1,8% come from.

Fine

While quality of life managed to maintain its reasonably high levels between 2009 and 2011, those in the ‘fine’ category – scoring above 5/10 on the marginalisation index – have fallen back quite sharply, dropping by 3,7%. This reflects some key findings in the survey, covered elsewhere in this report, including extreme xenophobic views, high levels of dissatisfaction with all spheres of government, very high levels of alienation and anomie, and a generally very low mood that seemed to pervade our respondents.

It is still very positive to have a fifth of respondents scoring positively across this wide range of psychosocial indicators, but it should be of concern that the numbers in the top category have dropped.

State of Gauteng City Region

The vast majority of respondents are 'fine' or 'ok' – 89% of the sample fall into these categories.

Left sidebar

Marginalised

At risk

Ok

Those who were ‘OK’ -
scoring between 1<4 out
of 10 (remembering that
high scores are bad news)
increased from 64,5% to
70,1%

Fine

It is still very positive to have a fifth of respondents scoring positively across this wide range of psychosocial indicators, but it should be of concern that the numbers in the top category have dropped.

The vast majority of respondents are 'fine' or 'ok' – 89% of the sample fall into these categories.

Left sidebar

Marginalised

At risk

Ok

Those who were ‘OK’ - scoring between 1<4 out of 10 (remembering that high scores are bad news) increased from 64,5% to 70,1%

Fine

It is still very positive to have a fifth of respondents scoring positively across this wide range of psychosocial indicators, but it should be of concern that the numbers in the top category have dropped.

Those who were ‘OK’ -
scoring between 1<4 out
of 10 (remembering that
high scores are bad news)
increased from 64,5% to
70,1%