The democratisation and decentralisation of local government in post-apartheid South Africa was put in the spotlight due to demands on service delivery, poverty alleviation and the provision of sustainable basic services. Traditionally municipalities were the providers of services but its role has since shifted in that it is now expected to facilitate and implement developmental programmes. In an attempt to address developmental challenges, which are mirrored in the devastating effects of poverty, disease, unemployment, inequalities as well as slow economic growth that does not pave way for the poor to access socio-economic opportunities, a new developmental local government system was conceived to engage communities through exploring sustainable strategies as mechanisms that bring about social and economic development. In this paper the authors argue that development workers are the link between people and their local municipality /