There is a volatile zeitgeist running through South Africa right now as citizens from the poor and marginalised sectors of society increasingly start to agitate for government to make good on its promises of a better life for all. While great strides have been taken since the demise of the previous regime, much remains to be done and the patience of the people is running short as they seek delivery of essential services such as housing, water and electricity.

And if government is to achieve improved service delivery with the limited resources at its disposal, it is compelled to recognise that there are different levels of service delivery expected from different sectors of the population and then to prioritise service delivery accordingly.