Introduction

Until quite recently, municipalities in developing countries formulated and implemented infrastructure and service projects utilising budgets handed down from higher levels of government. Municipal officials, in some cases influenced by political priorities, conceived, designed, constructed and managed projects and then handed over the finished product to other municipal officials for operation and maintenance. While this may not have been considered effective or sustainable, municipal organisations and officials were geared towards this approach and many have the technical capacity to play these roles. Moreover, the status of municipal officials and their relationships to society as a whole reflected their ability to make financial and technical decisions, select contractors and provide services.