President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Acting Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Ms Angie Motshekga, officially launched the South Africa APRM Second Generation Country Review Report last night as part of the 20th-anniversary celebration of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), which also included H.E Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the APRM Forum of Heads of State.

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a voluntary self-assessment tool established by the African Union (AU) in 2003. Its main goal is to promote good governance and socio-economic development in African nations. The APRM allows member countries to assess their performance in various areas and identify areas for improvement.

“The report reflects South Africa’s ongoing commitment to promoting good governance, especially as we will soon [mark] 30 years of democracy… [It]serves as an important knowledge base and provides a foundation for improving governance,” said President Ramaphosa, who is the outgoing Chairperson of the APRM Forum of Heads of State.

The review report for South Africa provides a comprehensive analysis of the country’s progress in implementing the recommendations from the first Country Review Report, completed in 2007. It serves as a follow-up assessment, identifying areas where improvements have been made and the challenges that still require attention. Like the previous report, the South Africa Second-Generation Country Review Report is an assessment of the country’s performance in the following thematic areas:

  • Democratic and Political Governance.
  • Economic Management and Governance.
  • Corporate Governance.
  • Socio-economic Development.
  • State Resilience.

“South Africa and the APRM family remain inspired by the work the mechanism has accomplished over the past 20 years. Although much has been accomplished, so much remains to be done to build and strengthen the institutions that form the pillars of good governance on the continent,” said Minister Angie Motshekga in the introductory remarks, delivered in her capacity as acting as the APRM Focal Point of South Africa.

In the Country Review Report, South Africa received favourable reviews for, among others, the rule of law, oversight bodies like our Chapter 9 institutions, the advancement of women’s rights, strong refugee protection and the extensive social welfare net, which provides for benchmarking across the continent.

However, the report recommendations also highlighted several areas that needed attention, which would be remedied by ensuring the effective implementation of the APRM recommendations through the National Plan of Action.