Johannesburg — DISSATISFACTION with service delivery has increased among South African households since 2002, a survey showed yesterday, even though the number of people on welfare has more than tripled to 13,7% of the population.

Last year, hunger edged up after falling steadily since 2002, while travel by local households dipped -- a trend which appeared to stem from the economy's downturn.

Alarmingly, the fraction of households with missing children nearly doubled to 8,4% last year from 4,5% in 2002, the General Household Survey from Statistics SA (Stats SA) showed.

"What we can say is that provision of services doesn't translate into quality," said Kefiloe Masiteng, deputy director-general for population and social statistics at Stats SA.

"It's about perceptions."

Access to electricity, water and refuse removal have all improved since 2002. But the proportion of households that received a piped water supply dipped to 70,9% last year from 71,8% in 2007.

The proportion of households which felt the quality of water service was good dived to 60,5%, from 71,8% in 2007 and 76,1% in 2005.

Electricity supply reached 82,6% of households last year, well up from 77,4% in 2002. Refuse removal edged up to 60,5% from 58,8%.

The percentage of households in informal dwellings was little changed at 13,4%, although those receiving a government housing subsidy leapt to 11,2% from 5,6%. House ownership also climbed, to 75,8% from 70,4%.

Other data showed the extent of modernisation among the 31636 households surveyed in July last year.

Cellphone use more than doubled to 79,1%, from 37,6% in 2002, while television ownership jumped to 72,4% from 59,3%. On the education front, the percentage of people with no schooling fell to 8,8% from 10,4%.

Figures on medical aid coverage deteriorated, with 15,9% of households covered, versus 16,2% in 2002, but up from a low of 14% in 2005.

The proportion of people ill or injured in June rose to 13,7% from 11,1% last year -- close to the 11,3% level in June 2002. But fewer people consulted a health worker, with 77,7% doing so last year compared with 79,7% in 2007 and 81,5% in 2002.

The survey showed satisfaction with healthcare services improved.

Hunger has subsided since 2002, dipping to 2,4% from 6,8% of adults and to 2,5% from 6,8% of children. But last year it edged up from 2% of adults and 2,5% of children in 2007.

The figures also showed that half of all local households went on a trip in 2007, well up from 35% in 2002. But last year the ratio fell to 44,7%.