custodians

Custodians

Data Custodian

In terms of the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act, 2003 [Act No. 54, 2003] "data custodian" means

An organ of state; or
An independent contractor or person engaged in the exercise of a public power or performance of a public function, which captures, maintains, manages, integrates, distributes or uses spatial information.

The SDI Act further defines "base data sets" as "those themes of spatial information which have been captured or collected by a data custodian"

Data Set Custodianship: Recommendations Adopted by the CSI

At a Committee for Spatial Information (CSI) meeting on 01 October 2012, several recommendations relating to data sets and custodianship were proposed and adopted. These included:

Definition of base geospatial data sets;
Criteria for base geospatial data sets;
Criteria for base data set custodians; and
Base data set coordinator and base data set custodians; and
Piloting 10 data set themes and associated custodianship

Definition: Base Geospatial Data Sets

Base geospatial data sets are those data sets identified as the minimum set of essential data sets that are widely used as a reference base at various administrative levels to accomplish South Africa's national and international priorities.

Criteria for Base Geospatial Data Sets

Compulsory

Diversity of users from different sectors derive significant benefit from its use (compulsory);
Cannot be easily or generally substituted;
Sufficient detail and accuracy for widespread use;
Complete coverage of the area of interest;

Conditional

Produced as a result of the core mandate of the custodian; and
Sourced for accurately referencing other data sets or for displaying the results of an analysis

Criteria for base data set custodians

Compulsory

Mandated responsibility (Cabinet directive, legislation, policy or other);
Request by the SDI (CSI) to be a base data set custodian;

Conditional

Sufficient capacity, resources and infrastructure to perform custodianship responsibilities.

Shared Base Data Set Custodianship

Where relevant, it is possible to have more than one organisation as base data set custodian for the same spatial object or feature. This is called shared base data set custodianship and could be applied as follows:

Spatial and Attribute Data Collaboration. In such circumstances one organisation, called the base spatial data custodian, is the custodian of the spatial component (geometry), and another organisation, called the base attribute data custodian, is the custodian of the descriptive component (attributes). Both data custodians are responsible for their component of the same data set.
Regional Data Collaboration. This occurs when higher order or national data sets are created by consolidating multiple regional or lower order data sets. In such circumstances many organisations capture separate data sets, each for the same spatial object or feature type, but with different geographical extents. For such data sets to be consolidated, all contributing custodians must ensure compatibility of their data sets by agreeing on and adhering to the same standards and prescriptions of data capture. Each contributing custodian is responsible for the integrity of the data set covering their own area of jurisdiction.
Where spatial–attribute collaboration should be considered in addition to regional collaboration the same terms and conditions apply.

Base Data Set Governance

The role of a base data set coordinator was established to encourage base data set governance. The base data set coordinator is responsible for ensuring that the base spatial data custodian(s) and base attribute data custodians create base data sets that adhere to all policies, standards and specifications. The base data set coordinator is also responsible for ensuring data compatibility and integration of base data sets, for the same spatial object or feature type but with adjoining geographical coverages, collected from different custodians.

Categories of Custodians for base data set custodianship

Base data set coordinator – Responsible for coordinating and consolidating all the component data sets into base data sets. Where possible regional data sets should be consolidated into national coverage data sets. They report on all data activities to the CSI Data subcommittee.
Base spatial data custodian – Custodian for the spatial component (geometry) of the base data set. They must collaborate closely with the base attribute data custodian and report on all data activities to the base data set coordinator for the base data set.
Base attribute data custodian - Custodian for the descriptive component (attributes) of the base data set. They must collaborate closely with the base spatial data custodian and report on all data activities to the base data set coordinator for the base data set.

Data Capture Project Register

In terms of the Base Data Set Custodianship Policy base data set custodians must register their data capture/collection projects on the Department's Data Capture Project Register (DCPR) prior to undertaking such projects and update the register when changing the status of projects. To learn more about registering data capture projects go to the DCPR site on the SASDI Website: http://www.sasdi.gov.za/DCPRHome.aspx

Base data set custodians must notify the CSI of their intention to capture spatial data and complete

FORM E1: Request for approval to capture spatial data or spatial information by a non-data custodian

See Form E1

See Process: Form E1

FORM E2: Inform Committee for Spatial Information of the Intention to Capture Spatial Data,

See Form E2

See Process: Form E2