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SA’s APRM Country Review Report to be launched

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SA’s APRM Country Review Report to be launched:

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to attend the 20th anniversary celebration of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to be held in Johannesburg, on Tuesday evening.

“The APRM 20th Anniversary is being celebrated through a series of meetings and events from 10 to 14 December 2023 under the theme ‘Accelerating and Deepening Governance Reform, Measures, and Intervention,” the Presidency said in a statement.

The review mechanism is an institution of the African Union voluntarily acceded to by Member States.

The anniversary event includes the participation of current and former Heads of State and Government; the Chairperson of the African Union Commission; high-ranking officials from the African Union Commission; representatives of APRM governing structures, as well as delegates of African Union organs and entities, international organisations and civil society.

The event will also imprint the launch of the South Africa Second Generation Country Review Report.

“The South African Second-Generation Country Review Report will give insights into the progress made by South Africa in various areas, highlighting its successes and identifying areas for improvement as per its recommendations.

“The review process involves an in-depth analysis of a country’s policies, institutions, and practices, conducted by a team of African experts,” the statement read.

The Presidency explained that the APRM serves as an “African-owned and African-led platform for self-assessment, peer-learning, and experience sharing in democracy and qualified governance”.

The mechanism, the Presidency added, promotes transparency, accountability and the sharing of best practices among African Union Member States in the following thematic areas:

  • democratic and political governance
  • economic management and governance
  • corporate governance
  • socio-economic development
  • state resilience

“Since its inception, the mechanism has recorded a number of achievements including deepening democracy and marvelous governance through its unique process of peer reviews and assessments.

“The review processes acquire strengthened the participation of citizens in governance matters and fostered peer-to-peer engagements at the level of Heads of State and Government. In this way the Mechanism has become a means of realising the sacrosanct principle of African solutions to African problems.

“The Mechanism fosters the adoption of policies, standards and practices that enable political stability, high economic growth, sustainable and inclusive development and accelerated regional and continental economic integration. This is enabled through the sharing of experiences and data,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Maboneng Precinct: Architecture

Maboneng is architecturally distinct because it rejects the “demolish and rebuild” philosophy. Instead, it embraces adaptive reuse. The Bioscope, South Africa’s only independent cinema, operates out of an old industrial space; The Living Room is a lush rooftop oasis that offers panoramic views of the skyline from atop a concrete shell; and the Museum of African Design (MOAD) was housed in a massive 1970s warehouse. This aesthetic—exposed brick, industrial steel, and vibrant street art—has become the visual shorthand for “cool” Johannesburg. The murals here are particularly significant; they aren’t just decoration but are often massive social commentaries by local and international street artists like Faith47 and ROA, turning the very walls of the city into a public gallery.

However, Maboneng is also at the center of a complex debate regarding gentrification and social integration. Critics argue that while the precinct is a “bubble” of safety and creativity, it often stands in stark contrast to the surrounding poverty of the inner city. The challenge for Maboneng has always been how to be an engine for economic growth without alienating the residents who lived there during the “dark” years. In response, many initiatives within the precinct focus on local entrepreneurship, such as the Market on Main, which provides a platform for local food vendors and designers every Sunday.