6.1 Response by National Treasury According to the 2007 Community Survey,. the Umtshezi Local Municipality's population has grown by 40 per cent since 2001, a much higher rate than the national average of 8 per cent. However, the allocation to a municipality is not determined by the size of their population but by the number of poor households with and without access to services. While the number of poor households in the Umtshezi Local Municipality has declined at a lower rate than the national average (-11 per cent versus -18 per cent), progress in expanding service delivery has been slower in the Umtshezi Local Municipality than in the country as a whole. The number of poor households with access to services is the most significant determinant of equitable share allocations and the Umtshezi Local Municipality's progress in this area has been slower than progress in other municipalities. This should provide an incentive to the municipality to increase access to services, poor households in particular.