Off Track?

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) critiques South Africa's First Report on the Implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Programme of Action. The author argues that the government's report is a superficial exercise in 'malicious compliance,' failing to provide evidence of progress specifically linked to the APRM's National Programme of Action (NPoA) and instead relying on general achievements since the 1994 democratic transition.

• The First Report on the Implementation of South Africa's APRM Programme of Action is characterized by inconsistencies, contradictions, and a lack of evidence regarding progress on the National Programme of Action (NPoA). The author suggests the report was "rushed in order to meet a deadline" and fails to provide an adequate assessment of NPoA implementation.
• A significant portion of the achievements listed in the Implementation Report are not results of the APRM process but are general accomplishments made since the end of apartheid and the democratic transition in 1994.
• The South African government's approach to the APRM was primarily externally focused, driven by the need to set an example for other African states rather than a domestic belief that the country needed the mechanism to improve governance.
• Political and bureaucratic instability hindered APRM implementation, including the recall of President Thabo Mbeki in September 2008, the resignation of Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, and a subsequent loss of institutional memory within the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA).
• The Implementation Report is criticized for blurring the line between the state and the ruling African National Congress (ANC), reporting party resolutions as government achievements.
• The report's treatment of racism and xenophobia is described as insufficient and inaccurate. It highlights isolated extreme cases of racism while failing to address the root causes of the May 2008 xenophobic attacks that left 62 dead and 670 injured.
• In the area of socio-economic development, the report contains contradictions regarding the eradication of the bucket system; the main text claims it was eradicated in formal settlements by March 2008, while the report's own matrix states that "Six provinces still have buckets outstanding".
• The author identifies a culture of "malicious compliance" within the South African government, where reporting is treated as a bureaucratic requirement to be satisfied rather than a tool for genuine governance reform.
• The report fails to mention that South Africa has not ratified three key conventions recommended by the APRM Country Review Report: the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Covenant on the Protection of Migrant Workers, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Punishment.
• The author recommends several steps to make the APRM useful, including creating a dedicated semi-autonomous APRM unit, reviving the National Governing Council (NGC), and mainstreaming APRM findings into national policy debates.

APA

Turianskyi, Y. (2010). Off Track? South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Occasional-Paper-53.pdf

Chicago

Turianskyi, Yarik. Off Track? South African Institute of International Affairs, 2010. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Occasional-Paper-53.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Turianskyi |first1=Yarik |title=Off Track? |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=January 2010 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Occasional-Paper-53.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{turianskyi2010off, author = {Turianskyi, Yarik}, title = {{Off Track?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2010}, month = jan, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Occasional-Paper-53.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }