The proportion of households getting free basic services is "significantly higher" in the Western Cape than the national average, the SA Institute of Race Relations said on Monday.
Its latest annual South Africa Survey showed that in 2009, some 82 percent of Western Cape households received free basic water, 69 percent free basic sanitation and 52 percent solid waste services.
The corresponding national figures were 58, 33, and 23 percent.
The Free State came out top in the provision of free basic electricity — to 63 percent of households — against a national average of 35 percent.
Forty-six percent of Western Cape households received free basic electricity from their municipalities, the second highest number of all nine provinces.
KwaZulu-Natal households fared worst in terms of free electricity and solid waste at 15 and six percent of households respectively.
Mpumalanga registered lowest in the provision of free water (41 percent) and sanitation (13 percent).
The institute said free basic services were funded using local government revenue, and internal cross-subsidies from services tariffs.
In addition, the rollout of free basic services depended on the infrastructure available and on spending by municipalities.
The free services were provided to households defined by municipalities as poor.
"Taken together, the information indicates that Western Cape municipalities have sound revenue-collection mechanisms in place, relatively superior infrastructure, and the willingness or capability to spend money on the provision of essential services to indigent households," said institute researcher Kerwin Lebone.
http://news.iafrica.com/sa/700718.html
Wish the rest of the provinces would look at the success of the W.Cape and try and follow it. In the end everybody wins.
We live in hope.
Its latest annual South Africa Survey showed that in 2009, some 82 percent of Western Cape households received free basic water, 69 percent free basic sanitation and 52 percent solid waste services.
The corresponding national figures were 58, 33, and 23 percent.
The Free State came out top in the provision of free basic electricity — to 63 percent of households — against a national average of 35 percent.
Forty-six percent of Western Cape households received free basic electricity from their municipalities, the second highest number of all nine provinces.
KwaZulu-Natal households fared worst in terms of free electricity and solid waste at 15 and six percent of households respectively.
Mpumalanga registered lowest in the provision of free water (41 percent) and sanitation (13 percent).
The institute said free basic services were funded using local government revenue, and internal cross-subsidies from services tariffs.
In addition, the rollout of free basic services depended on the infrastructure available and on spending by municipalities.
The free services were provided to households defined by municipalities as poor.
"Taken together, the information indicates that Western Cape municipalities have sound revenue-collection mechanisms in place, relatively superior infrastructure, and the willingness or capability to spend money on the provision of essential services to indigent households," said institute researcher Kerwin Lebone.
http://news.iafrica.com/sa/700718.html
Wish the rest of the provinces would look at the success of the W.Cape and try and follow it. In the end everybody wins.
We live in hope.
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