Statistician-general: Number of indigent South Africans on the rise
The number of indigent South Africans who need free basic services from municipalities has increased by 3.4% in 2018.
This was revealed by statistician-general Risenga Maluleke in Pretoria on Thursday.
StatsSA’s latest non-financial census of municipalities indicates that indigent people in municipalities have increased from 3 511 741 in 2017 to 3 631 443 in 2018.
Director of Local Government Institutions Malibongwe Mhemhe said the increase was mostly due to awareness campaigns run by local governments.
“Not all are registered but they are making those campaign in order to inform people of the services that are provided,” said Mhembe.
Maluleke also revealed there has been a decline in the provision of free basic services by municipalities.
According to the report free basic water declined by -13.9%, free basic electricity by -9.6%, free basic sewage and sanitation by -16,17% and free basic solid water waste management by -5.8%.
Mhemhe explained that the decline in the delivery of free basic services is due to some municipalities prioritising people who cannot afford to pay for services.
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Some municipalities are only providing free basic services to needy people and not citizens who can afford to pay.
The report also revealed a decline in the bucket toilets systems, from 60 557 in 2017 to 42 612 in 2018.
StatsSA’s Acting Chief Director of Government Financial Statistics, Elizabeth Makhafola, said some municipalities have bucket system toilets but are not registered with the local government.
“You can say Limpopo, they say there’s no bucket system at all but when you go to Limpopo you find that there are shacks there but they are not registered with the municipality.”