DA Delivery Daily Fact #21: A total of 161 045 poor households receive all free services from the City of Cape Town

Lindiwe Mazibuko, DA National Spokesperson
3 May 2011

A total of 161 045 households receive a total package of free services from the City of Cape Town, as part of its indigent policy – the most comprehensive such pro-poor policy in the country. Outside of the total package, a great many more poor households receive free services, in one form or another: 449 000 get some form of water rebate, 449 000 electricity, 880 000 sanitation and 481 000 refuse. But one can expand those statistics. If one includes all households (formal and informal, not only poor households) the numbers increase further still: 904 000 water, 880 000 sanitation and 904 000 refuse services. Proof that the DA truly does deliver for all.

The Evidence: The DA Delivery Daily has set out before the nature of Cape Town’s indigent policy here. The purpose of this fact is to set out its extent, because it delivers free and subsidised services to thousands of poor Capetonians, as part of the DA-led administration’s commitment to delivering for all. By way of background: People do not necessarily apply to be beneficiaries of the city’s indigent policy. The property value qualification is applied automatically. Anyone who wants to apply under the household income qualification has to apply at a City cash office. There is no waiting period. In total, 161 045 households receive the total package of free indigent services. For all beneficiaries of the indigent policy, services are provided free. Rebates are credited automatically to peoples’ accounts. Here is breakdown of the figures:

1. TOTAL PACKAGE: all indigent services (water, electricity, sanitation and refuse removal combined):

• Number of households that benefit: 161 045

2. INDIVIDUAL INDIGENT SERVICES:

Number of households that benefit from:

Water:
• 6kl/month: 505 000 households
• 10.5 kl/month: 209 000 households
• Public tap: 190 000 households

Sanitation: 880 000 households

Electricity:
• 50kwhrs/month: 449 000 households

Refuse removal (free or subsidised): 481 000 households

3. ALL HOUSEHOLDS (informal and formal, not only poor households) that benefit from free services:

Water Supply:
• Piped water inside dwelling: 714 000 households
• Public tap at least at minimum service level: 190 000 households
• Total households receiving water: 904 000 households

Sanitation:
• Flush toilet connected to sewage: 812 000 households
• Chemical toilet: 16 000 households
• Ventilated Pit toilet: 2 000 households
• Other toilet > minimum service level: 50 000 households
• Total at minimum service level and above: 880 000 households

Refuse collection:
• Households receiving at least once weekly service: 904 000 households

Related Documents:

• The Cape Town Story
• The Cape Town Story Fact Sheet
• A City that Delivers to All