StreetSignal aggregates publicly available data from official government sources and third-party providers. This page documents the licence terms, attribution requirements, and usage restrictions for each data source.
For details on how we process and transform this data, see our Methodology page.
Statistics South Africa — Census 2022
Data Used
Suburb-level population estimates derived from Census 2022 (10% sample with Stats SA-provided weights).
Licence
Type: Custom government terms — free to use with attribution
Terms URL: statssa.gov.za — Copyright Information
Key term: "Users may apply the information as they wish, provided that they acknowledge Statistics South Africa as the source of the basic data wherever they process, apply, utilise, publish or distribute the data."
Required Attribution
Statistics South Africa is the source of the basic data. The analysis and presentation of this data are the work of StreetSignal.
Distribution
Census 2022 microdata is distributed by DataFirst, University of Cape Town under CC-BY licence.
Full Citation
Statistics South Africa. South African Census 2022, 10% sample [dataset]. Version 1. Pretoria: Statistics South Africa [producer], 2024. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2024.
South African Police Service (SAPS) — Crime Statistics
Data Used
Annual and quarterly crime statistics per police station, by crime category (14 categories including murder, robbery, burglary, assault, and drug-related crime).
Licence
Type: South African government terms of use
Source URL: saps.gov.za — Crime Statistics
Terms URL: gov.za — Terms and Conditions of Use
Required Attribution
Crime statistics sourced from the South African Police Service (SAPS) annual crime statistics releases.
⚠️ Important: Commercial Use Restriction
The South African government's terms of use state that content on government websites may be used for non-commercial, informational, or reference purposes. Commercial use requires prior written permission from the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).
StreetSignal currently operates as a free, non-commercial platform with no advertising or paid features. If the site introduces any form of monetisation in future, written permission from GCIS will be sought before commercial operation begins.
This is an unresolved legal question: whether displaying government-sourced data alongside advertising constitutes "commercial use" of that data has not been tested in South African courts or clarified by GCIS guidance. We err on the side of caution by treating any monetisation as a trigger for seeking permission.
City of Cape Town Open Data Portal
Data Used
- Official suburb boundaries (GeoJSON polygons)
- Fire station locations
- Parks and green spaces
- Libraries
- Load shedding schedules
- Minibus taxi routes
Licence
Type: City of Cape Town Open Data Policy
Terms URL: capetown.gov.za — Terms of Use (Open Data)
Policy URL: City of Cape Town Open Data Policy (PDF)
Key terms: The City defines open data as "data that can be freely used, shared and built-on by anyone, anywhere, for any purpose." Data is provided "as is" without any remuneration. The City explicitly disclaims all warranties regarding accuracy, completeness, reliability, or fitness for purpose.
Required Attribution
Data sourced from the City of Cape Town Open Data Portal.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) — School Data
Data Used
School names, locations, phases (primary/secondary/combined), sectors (public/independent), and quintile classifications within each suburb.
Licence
Type: No explicit open data licence found
Source: wcedonline.westerncape.gov.za
Required Attribution
School information sourced from the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) public listings.
Note: No formal terms of use for school data were found during research. Data appears to be publicly listed information. If the site is monetised, written permission from the Western Cape Government will be sought, as the WCG Open Data Portal terms require prior permission for commercial use.
Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) — Dam Levels
Data Used
Western Cape dam storage levels (city-wide aggregate figure).
Licence
Type: No explicit open data licence found
Source: dws.gov.za
Required Attribution
Dam level data sourced from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
Note: No formal terms of use for dam level data were found during research.
South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) — Air Quality
Data Used
Cape Town air quality monitoring data (feature in development).
Licence
Type: No explicit open data licence found
Source: saaqis.environment.gov.za
Required Attribution
Air quality data sourced from the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS), a partnership between the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and the South African Weather Service.
Note: No formal terms of use for air quality data were found during research. SAAQIS is established under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act 39 of 2004).
Carto — Map Tiles
Data Used
Background map tiles for interactive maps on suburb profile pages.
Licence
Type: Carto terms of service
Source: carto.com
Required Attribution
Map tiles © Carto
DataFirst (University of Cape Town)
Data Used
Census 2022 microdata distribution (10% sample).
Licence
Type: Creative Commons CC-BY (Attribution)
Source: DataFirst Data Portal — Census 2022
CC-BY terms: Commercial use permitted. Derivative works permitted. Attribution mandatory.
Required Attribution
Census data distributed by DataFirst, University of Cape Town.
Full Citation
Statistics South Africa. South African Census 2022, 10% sample [dataset]. Version 1. Pretoria: Statistics South Africa [producer], 2024. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2024.
Data Processing & Methodology
StreetSignal processes source data through automated scripts to:
- Match Census geographies to City of Cape Town suburb boundaries
- Aggregate subplace-level data to suburb level
- Project population estimates using a uniform compound annual growth rate
- Assign suburbs to police stations based on geographic boundary overlap
- Match schools, parks, libraries, and other facilities to suburbs via spatial joins
Full details of our methodology, including known limitations, are available on our Methodology page.
All data transformations are the work of StreetSignal. Source agencies are not responsible for any errors introduced during our processing.