The South African government has identified Local Economic Development (LED) as a key element in its drive to institute 'developmental local government'. Local government in the country has accordingly been mandated to give effect to the LED function. This article advances a number of means by which LED can be stimulated, and obstacles to small town economic growth neutralised. The article also reviews the roles played by government institutions, value chains and donor funding in enhancing LED and discusses some of the ways in which these factors may prove to exert a counter-productive effect. It is submitted that municipalities should exploit advantageous synergies with the private sector to strengthen their LED portfolios.