2009/2010 South African Survey

Key findings of living condition indicators reported in the 2009/2010 South African Survey regarding the Tswelopele Local Municipality include the following;

• Total number of households are estimated at 12 476.
• The types of housing in the district comprise of 71.9 % formal housing, 26.6 % informal dwellings and 1.3 % traditional dwellings.
• 97.2 % of households have access to piped water.
• 24.9 % of households still use the bucket system.
• 83.1 % of households have access to electricity.

2007 Community Survey

Key findings of the 2007 Community Survey of Statistics South Africa regarding the Tswelopele Local Municipality include the following;

• Estimated population of Tswelopele is 53 714.
• 68.2 % of the main dwellings of households comprised of a house or a brick structure on a separate stand or yard. The percentage of traditional dwellings made of traditional materials decreased from 5.1 % (Census 2001) to 1.3 %. The percentage of households comprising of a house/flat in a backyard increased from 0.9 % to 2.4 %. The percentage distribution of households by tenure status indicated that 57.4 % were owned and fully paid off whilst 11.6 % used rented accommodation. 26.7 % of households had rent-free tenure status.
• Informal dwellings in informal settlements decreased from 14.9 % (Census 2001) to 11.8 %.
• 37.3 % of households have access to piped water inside the dwelling which is a significant increase from the 13.3 % indicated in the 2001 Census. A further 52.2 % of households have access to piped water inside the yard. The percentage of households with access to water outside the yard decreased from 40.4 % (2001 Census) to 7.7 %.
• 59.2 % of households have access to flush toilets connected to sewerage system which increased from 12.5 % in the 2001 Census. The percentage of households using the bucket system decreased from 52.7 % in the 2001 Census to 22.5 %.
• The percentage of households using electricity for cooking increased from 24.6 % (Census 2001) to 55.5 % whilst a further 83.1 % of households use electricity for lighting. 53.3 % of households also used electricity for hearing, with a further 31.3 % using wood for the same purpose.
• 80.3 % of households have access to refuse removal by the municipality at least once a week which increased from 29.8 % in the 2001 Census.