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Date : 31/10/2005
Source: Department of Public Service and Administration
Title: Fraser-Moleketi: African Peer Review Mechanism process


  Briefing notes for Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Chairperson of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in South Africa and Minister for Public Service and Administration

1. Background information on the APRM process
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is an instrument voluntarily acceded to by Member States of the African Union (AU) as an African self-monitoring mechanism. The APRM process was endorsed by the inaugural summit of the African Union (AU) held in Durban in July 2002.

The APRM process is directed and managed by a panel of Eminent Persons who are distinguished in their careers that are relevant to the work of the APRM. The process contains prioritised and approved codes and standards in four thematic areas:

* Democracy and good governance
* Economic governance and management
* Socio-economic development
* Corporate governance.

1.1. Mandate of the APRM

The mandate of the APRM is to ensure that the policies and practices of participating states conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance. The APRM is the mutually agreed instrument for self-monitoring by the participating member governments.

1.2. Purpose of the APRM

The primary purpose of the APRM is to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration through sharing of experiences and reinforcement of successful and best practice, including identifying deficiencies and assessing the needs for capacity building.

1.3. APRM Stages

The first stage entails the development of a country self-assessment report and a programme of action. This is based on a questionnaire that looks at four themes, i.e. Democracy and Good Political Governance, Economic Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-economic Development.

The second stage entails the drafting of a Country Self-Assessment Report and a Programme of Action that will be submitted to the APRM Secretariat.

During the third stage, a Country Review Team, led by the APRM Panel Member responsible for SA, will visit us to consult a wide range of stakeholders on the Report.

During the last stage, the Country Review Team writes a response to our report and all the reports are all submitted to the APR Forum and later publicly released.

2. South Africa's approach to the APRM process

South Africa is one of the first five countries to implement the APRM process. The other four countries are Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius and Rwanda.

2.1. Leadership of the APRM process

The implementation of South Africa's APRM process is led by a Governing Council, which is made up of five government and ten civil society representatives. I chair the Governing Council. Other government representatives on the Governing Council are Mr Trevor Manual, the Minister of Finance; Mr Mandisi Mpahlwa, the Minister of Trade and Industry; Ms Brigitte Mabandla, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development; and Mr Essop Pahad, Minister in The Presidency.

Civil society is represented by Mr Bheki Sibiya from Business Unity South Africa, Mr Lukes Matoto from Disabled People South Africa, Ms Zanele Twala from SANGOCO, Dr Nomonde Mqhai from the SA Youth Council, Ms Thabisile Msezani from the SA Council of Churches, Mr Randall Howard representing COSATU, Dr Mongane Wally Serote from our Arts and Culture sector, Mr Master Mahlobogoane from SANCO, Ms Laura Kganyago from the National Women’s Coalition and Mr Moemedi Kepadisa from NACTU. 2.2. Implementation

The South African process was launched in a consultative conference held in Johannesburg on 28 to 29 September 2005. Following this launching, the process has been rolled out in all provinces and it will continue for the next nine months focusing on the different stages of the process.

The main objective is to ensure an extensive consultative process that involves civil society organisations and different societal sectors. These community consultation processes will culminate in provincial conferences that will be consolidating provincial inputs.

At the provincial level, MEC have been tasked with the responsibility of guiding the process and also serve as a link between the province and the focal point. The implementation level is a co-ordinated by senior official who work closely with civil society organisations.

We have trained and deployed Community Development Workers (CDWs) to facilitate community consultations and ensure broad-based participation in all provinces. There are also process that are unfolding at provincial level to engage ward committees and councillors in community participation. All these activities are aimed at ensuring that the process is transparent and participative.

Most provinces have already convened consultation sessions to brief stakeholders. The sessions were also used to outline the provincial roadmaps that include the establishment of inclusive provincial co-ordinating structures and convening of provincial consultative conferences. 2.3. Filling and submitting the questionnaire

We are targeting South Africans from all walks of life, from various corners of our country, to fill and submit the APRM questionnaire that is available through Community Development Workers, at Multi-Purpose Community Centres, and a dedicated website (http://www.aprm.org.za).

We aim not only to create awareness about the process, but also to get the people involved and make their voices heard. That is why we need a partnership to encourage popular participation.

2.4. Review of our approach

The Country Support Mission led by professor Adedeji will be visiting South Africa, on 9 to 11 November 2005 to assess our state of readiness and to review our approach to the APRM.

Once we have submitted our Country Self-Assessment Report, the Country Review Team will visit our country and to meet with many stakeholders to assess the Country Self-Assessment Report and the Programme of Action attached to it.

3. Conclusion

The APRM process came at a very important stage of our history as a country, a period during which we are entering the Second Decade of Democracy. The challenge is to get as many people as possible to take part in the process and stimulate debate on the four focal areas that I have spoken about earlier.

It is also worth emphasising that the APRM process is not a review of the performance of government, but rather a review of the country by the people of the country. So, broad-based citizen participation is imperative.

Issued by: Department of Public Service and Administration
31 October 2005
   

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