3.8.3 Similarly to most municipalities visited in Mpumalanga, NLM revealed that they were struggling with the recruitment of scarce skills. NLM reported that, although financial systems are in place, there were no 'warm bodies' to use and support them. NLM indicated that they lacked other types of technical skills like engineering. 3.8.4 NLM reported that the sector departments are providing 'a mouth service' to it. For example, sector departments had promised to assist NLM in providing better municipal services, but they have failed to honour their promises. NLM is of the view that much of their weaknesses are partly caused by lack of assistance from sector departments.