Although old infrastructure and a mushrooming population are major factors in the breakdown of the water and sanitation system in Harare, in almost every interview we had, donor agencies, journalists, NGO workers and even government officials raised three other fundamental issues causing the service delivery crisis: a lack of political will, mismanagement and pervasive corruption. These issues have repeatedly been cited by stakeholders across the spectrum, from ordinary residents to City Council members, to officials at donor agencies and international NGOs, and by the local and international press.