Purchases of electricity and gas by South African municipalities decreased by 4.6% to R10 billion in the quarter ended March from R10.5 billion in the quarter ended December 2011‚ the quarterly financial statistics of municipalities by Statistics SA (Stats SA) released on Wednesday showed.

The quarterly financial statistics of municipalities is a survey that covers local‚ district and metropolitan municipalities in the country. The results are used to estimate gross domestic product (GDP) and its components as well as to assist the public sector with policy formulation and the financial analysis of municipalities.

Sales of electricity and gas fell by 8.0% to R15.7 billion between the two quarters.

Figures showed that purchases of water by the municipalities rose by 3.6% to R2.6 billion at the end of the March quarter‚ while an increase of 7.2% to R5.7 billion was recorded in the sales of water over the same period.

Property‚ plant and equipment increased by 0.5% to R323.8 billion in the quarter ended March from R322.1 billion in the quarter ended December 2011.