The number of consumer units receiving services from municipalities increased between 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years. For the period under review, solid waste management showed the highest percentage increase (5,8%), followed by sewerage and sanitation (3,7%), water (3,2%) and electricity (3,1%).   The provision of free basic services (FBS) provided to consumer units decreased for water and sewerage and sanitation but increased for electricity and solid waste management between the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years. The decreases in the number of consumer units receiving free basic water and sewerage and sanitation between 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 were the result of households not renewing their status in 2022/2023 and they were therefore automatically deregistered by their respective municipalities. Furthermore, some households have reached a predefined threshold that made them no longer eligible to receive benefits. The increases in the number of consumer units receiving free basic electricity and solid waste management, over the same period can be attributable to more qualifying households registering for these services as a result of municipal awareness campaigns and Integrated Development Plan (IDP) stakeholder meetings conducted by municipal officials, encouraging eligible households to apply for free basic services.

According to 2022/2023 financial year estimates, there were 2,8 million indigent households as identified by municipalities, an increase of 5,2% from 2021/2022 financial year. Of the 2,8 identified indigents, 2,1 million indigent households benefited from the indigent support system on water, while 1,7 million benefited from indigent support on electricity provided by municipalities. Furthermore, 1,8 million indigent households benefited from the indigent support system on sewerage and sanitation and 1,7 million indigent households benefited from the indigent support system on solid waste management.

Bucket toilets provided by municipalities to households decreased by 135 (-0,3%) consumer units from 45 105 to 44 970 between 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years.

The number of people employed by municipalities decreased by -0,5%, from 329 319 in 2021/2022 to 327 541 in 2022/2023 (inclusive of funded vacancies).