Quite irrespective of the external operating context, a primary problem facing municipal government in many parts of the world is that it does not acknowledge the causes of urban service problems. Many municipal officials may not have had exposure to more effective service delivery and have limited grounds for comparison. They may not have had significant exposure to alternative forms of service delivery, and they may not be willing or able to recognise institutional blockages.
Acknowledging the problems and understanding the limitations is a key basic skill that enables municipalities to bring about change.