Main Findings on Free Basic Services from National Treasury Fiscal Incidence Report
Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP14/2009Publication date: 2009
Author(s):
[protected email address] (Department of Economics, University of Stellenbosch)
This study analyses the extent to which the poor benefit from Free Basic Services (FBS), which include free basic water, free basic electricity, free basic sanitation and free basic solid waste removal. Unfortunately, none of the data sets analysed could be used to conduct fiscal incidence analysis because none of the surveys asked appropriate questions with regard to consumption/usage or tariffs/costs of FBS, the non-survey data from DWAF and NT were self-reported from municipalities, with several municipalities and district municipalities not providing any information at all, and the main data set provided by National Treasury was found to be riddled with inconsistencies and errors. The easiest and ideal solution to the data problem would be to have municipalities report household consumption data at monthly intervals throughout.
JEL Classification:H4, H5
Keywords:Publicly provided goods, National government expenditures
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Prof Simon Franklin: Queen Mary University In London
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16 May 2025 Trade truce lifts markets, SA braces for winter load-shedding and budget reckoningThis week, data showed that South Africa’s unemployment rate rose in 2025Q1, with net job losses compared to 2024Q4. Meanwhile, mining output improved in March but declined overall for the quarter. In the US, inflation eased to a four-year low, while Germany’s economic sentiment rebounded sharply. The UK economy posted impressive growth in Q1; however,...
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