One of the objectives of the Rural Development Strategy is the acquisition of accurate and reliable information about rural areas to allow for the promotion of good planning within all levels of government. One of the most vital requirements for planning is to ascertain demographic trends such that facilities and infrastructure can be provided and development interventions adopted. In the case of small towns and rural districts of the Eastern Cape the patterns of demographic loss and gain, often contrary to conventional wisdom, are clear indications of where government development action and strategies are needed. This is particularly apparent in terms of the rapid growth of small, economically vulnerable towns and the corresponding isolation and marginalisation of many rural districts.