Clear rules, fairness and transparency can ensure an attractive environment for private investors and other potential partners to work with local government in service delivery.1 For the private sector, coupled with a secure legal environment, transparency ensures the sanctity of contracts and fair treatment for all parties, stimulating interest in partnerships, enhancing competition and reducing costs. For civil society, transparency is a vital aspect of more accountable, democratic and inclusive urban governance. It requires processes to keep stakeholders informed, to curtail corruption and to institutionalise openness and access to information. These facets are discussed below.