DOCSLIB.ORG

Minutes Raise Questions Over Multichoice-SABC Deal

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Legalbrief | your legal news hub Monday 27 September 2021 Minutes raise questions over MultiChoice-SABC deal Minutes of a high-level 2013 meeting between SABC executives and MultiChoice suggest the Naspers pay-TV subsidiary tried to use a R500m payment for an SABC news channel as cover to secure influence over government policy on encryption, notes a Business Day report. Analysts said MultiChoice saw encryption as a threat to its dominance of the pay-TV market and the company was determined to reverse government policy and ensure set-top boxes were not encrypted. At the time of the meeting, the government’s policy was to back encryption. The release of the minutes has fuelled growing calls for a probe into MultiChoice’s relationship with ANN7 and the national broadcaster. ‘If MultiChoice says there is nothing untoward in its relationship with the two television stations, then it must come clean and show us all the documents,’ said Phumzile van Damme, the DA’s communications spokesperson, who has called for an inquiry by Icasa. The minutes form part of documents provided by the SABC in December 2016 to the parliamentary ad hoc committee looking into the SABC. Van Damme said they support recent media allegations that MultiChoice paid then Gupta-owned ANN7 millions in exchange for similar influence over the government’s position on set-top boxes. ‘It speaks to a company willing to stop at nothing, including paying kickbacks to the Gupta family, thus supporting state capture, in order to get its way.’ A City Press report says the minutes appear to confirm that, for MultiChoice, the R100m a year five-year deal with the SABC for a news and an archive-based entertainment channel on their DStv platform was hinged on the future TV market and set-top box encryption as the ‘dealbreaker’. Van Damme said the minutes suggest MultiChoice made the deal with the SABC ‘in exchange for the public’s broadcaster political influence over digital migration’. The SABC says it has ‘noted the publication’ of various internal minutes dealing with the controversial agreement, pointing out the contents were the reason it referred the matter to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The new board has distanced itself from the unfolding scandal, notes a report in The Citizen. Sacked SABC board members and executives, including Ellen Tshabalala, bosses Hlaudi Motsoeneng and Jimi Matthews, have been fingered as having participated in secret meetings regarding the MultiChoice deal. In a statement, the SABC said: ‘The content of these minutes and the reported statements of the various individuals identified underlines why the MultiChoice agreement and its related documentation was referred to the SIU for an urgent investigation.’ The statement issued by the chairperson of the SABC board, Bongumusa Makhathini, added: ‘The SABC Board distances itself from the alleged unlawful behaviour and re-iterates its commitment to independence from both political and commercial interests.’ The new SABC board, appointed in October, said it and management will continue to co-operate with any investigation into the alleged wrongdoing that led up to the signing of the MultiChoice agreement. Motsoeneng has defended the deal. According to a report in The Mercury, Motsoeneng told Independent Media that the five-year deal, which included the SABC 24-hour news channel and entertainment classics rerun channel, SABC Encore, was his innovation, his project and had actually made the public broadcaster money. The former SABC chief operating officer also gave warning that the contract the public broadcaster signed with MultiChoice was renewable for another five years after its expiry next year. Motsoeneng said the deal helped fund the SABC’s news operations. ‘We paid salaries using MultiChoice money. There’s nothing wrong with the deal… MultiChoice has done very well to fund the SABC,’ he said. He dismissed Van Damme’s claim that MultiChoice sought to pay the SABC R100m for its 24-hour news channel in exchange for the public broadcaster’s political influence over digital migration. ‘We approached MultiChoice, not the other way around… All South Africans should applaud MultiChoice for funding a public broadcaster,’ he is quoted as saying. The SABC’s migration from analogue to digital broadcasting has been mired in controversy‚ notes a TimesLIVE report. It says allegations of bribery‚ corruption and tender manipulation surfaced regarding the procurement of five million set top boxes (STBs) which could receive the new digital signal. The STBs would be distributed for free‚ while a further three million would be sold by private retailers. Twenty-six companies were awarded work on the contract to supply the STBs but the process has been subject to a court challenge that ended up before the Constitutional Court‚ a probe by the Competition Commission and an investigation by the Special Investigations Unit. In August‚ the Constitutional Court upheld a decision by former Communications Minister Faith Muthambi that the STBs did not need to have the capability to decrypt broadcast signals‚ which was a move in favour of MultiChoice which holds a strong monopoly in the pay TV sector. Controversially‚ Muthambi was in 2015 awarded powers by President Jacob Zuma that led to her being able to make the decision. This, notes TimesLIVE, would play in favour of state capture culprits‚ the Gupta family and their ANN7 news channel. Multichoice has denied wrongdoing in its dealings with the Gupta-owned TV channel. The report notes digital migration may yet face further delays. In August‚ the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa‚ which regulates and controls the procurement of STBs‚ filed papers with the Gauteng High Court asking that the awarded tender for the STBs be declared invalid. The matter is yet to be heard..
Recommended publications
  • Afrique Renouveau/Shu Zhang Distribution Afrique Renouveau (ISSN 2517-9837) Est Publiée Soutenant La Publication

    Afrique Renouveau/Shu Zhang Distribution Afrique Renouveau (ISSN 2517-9837) Est Publiée Soutenant La Publication

    Avril 2018 - Juillet 2018 www.un.org/africarenewal/fr Les jeunes réclament la parole Une génération pleine de talents Les femmes rurales au-devant de la scène Maintien de la paix au Libéria : l’histoire d’un succès AU SOMMAIRE Avril 2018 - Juillet 2018 | Vol. 32 No. 1 4 DOSSIER A LA UNE La jeunesse africaine réclame la parole 6 La révolution du “hashtag” 8 Développer le leadership jeune 10 Interview : Jayathma Wickramanayake 12 Le Nigéria exporte sa musique 14 Portrait : Raphael Obonyo 15 Portrait : Phumzile Van Damme Des libériennes contre la violence lors des élections de 2011. UNMIL/Emmanuel Tobey 16 Portrait : Gwendolyn Myers 17 Portrait : Eric Kaduru 18 Portrait : William Elong 19 Portrait : Gogontlejang Phaladi A LIRE EGALEMENT Chef ďédition Zipporah Musau 20 Interview : Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka 22 Maintien de la paix : l’histoire d’un succès Secrétaire de rédaction Kingsley Ighobor 24 Interview : Général Daniel Opande 26 Libéria: les gardiennes de la paix Rédaction 27 La cryptomonnaie pourrait conquérir l’Afrique Franck Kuwonu 28 Une nouvelle ère de partenariat Recherche & Liaison média 30 Au Cap, les robinets sont à sec Pavithra Rao 32 Le tourisme sud-africain garde son cap Shu Zhang Yinying Lin RUBRIQUES 3 Afrique Horizon Design & Production Paddy D. Ilos, II 35 Afrique Livres 35 Nominations Administration Dona Joseph En couverture : Rahma Mwita Abdallah, jeune activiste tanzanienne lors d’une con- férence des jeunes aux Nations Unies à New York. Afrique Renouveau/Shu Zhang Distribution Afrique Renouveau (ISSN 2517-9837) est publiée soutenant la publication. Les articles de cette Atar Markman en anglais et en français par la Division de la publication peuvent être reproduits librement, communication stratégique du Département à condition de mentionner l’auteur et la source, de l’information des Nations Unies.
  • And YOU Will Be Paying for It Keeping the Lights On

    And YOU Will Be Paying for It Keeping the Lights On

    AFRICA’S BEST READ October 11 to 17 2019 Vol 35 No 41 mg.co.za @mailandguardian Ernest How rugby After 35 Mancoba’s just can’t years, Africa genius give has a new acknowledged racism tallest at last the boot building Pages 40 to 42 Sport Pages 18 & 19 Keeping the lights on Eskom burns billions for coal And YOU will be paying for it Page 3 Photo: Paul Botes Zille, Trollip lead as MIGRATION DA continues to O Visa row in Vietnam Page 11 OSA system is ‘xenophobic’ Page 15 tear itself apart OAchille Mbembe: No African is a foreigner Pages 4 & 5 in Africa – except in SA Pages 28 & 29 2 Mail & Guardian October 11 to 17 2019 IN BRIEF ppmm Turkey attacks 409.95As of August this is the level of carbon Kurds after Trump Yvonne Chaka Chaka reneges on deal NUMBERS OF THE WEEK dioxide in the atmosphere. A safe number Days after the The number of years Yvonne Chaka is 350 while 450 is catastrophic United States Chaka has been married to her Data source: NASA withdrew troops husband Dr Mandlalele Mhinga. from the Syria The legendary singer celebrated the border, Turkey Coal is king – of started a ground and couple's wedding anniversary this aerial assault on Kurdish week, posting about it on Instagram corruption positions. Civilians were forced to fl ee the onslaught. President Donald Trump’s unex- Nigeria's30 draft budget plan At least one person dies every single day so pected decision to abandon the United States’s that we can have electricity in South Africa.
  • Commission of Inquiry Into State Capture Held At

    Commission of Inquiry Into State Capture Held At

    COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO STATE CAPTURE HELD AT PARKTOWN, JOHANNESBURG 10 10 SEPTEMBER 2019 DAY 160 20 10 SEPTEMBER 2019 – DAY 160 PROCEEDINGS COMMENCE ON 10 SEPTEMBER 2019 CHAIRPERSON: Good morning Ms Norman, good morning everybody. ADV THANDI NORMAN: Good morning Mr Chairperson. CHAIRPERSON: Yes are we ready? ADV THANDI NORMAN: Yes we are ready thank you Chair. CHAIRPERSON: Yes let us start. ADV THANDI NORMAN: Thank you Chair. Before you we have placed Exhibit CC31 for this witness. We are going to ask for a short adjournment after the testimony of this witness to put the relevant files 10 for the next witness Chair. CHAIRPERSON: Okay that is fine. ADV THANDI NORMAN: Thank you, yes thank you. Chair we are ready to lead the evidence of Mr Van Vuuren. May he be sworn in? His evidence continues from the DTT project as stated before the Chair by Ms Mokhobo and also Doctor Mothibi on Friday thank you. CHAIRPERSON: Yes okay. ADV THANDI NORMAN: Yes thank you. CHAIRPERSON: Please administer the oath or affirmation? REGISTRAR: Please state your full names for the record? 20 MR ANTON LOURENS JANSEN VAN VUUREN: Anton Lourens Janse Van Vuuren. REGISTRAR: Do you have any objection to taking the prescribed oath? MR ANTON LOURENS JANSEN VAN VUUREN: No. REGISTRAR: Do you consider the oath to be binding on your conscience? Page 2 of 174 10 SEPTEMBER 2019 – DAY 160 MR ANTON LOURENS JANSEN VAN VUUREN: Yes. REGISTRAR: Do you swear that the evidence you will give will be the truth; the whole truth and nothing but the truth, if so please raise your right hand and say, so help me God.
  • South Africa's Anti-Corruption Bodies

    South Africa's Anti-Corruption Bodies

    Protecting the public or politically compromised? South Africa’s anti-corruption bodies Judith February The National Prosecuting Authority and the Public Protector were intended to operate in the interests of the law and good governance but have they, in fact, fulfilled this role? This report examines how the two institutions have operated in the country’s politically charged environment. With South Africa’s president given the authority to appoint key personnel, and with a political drive to do so, the two bodies have at times become embroiled in political intrigues and have been beholden to political interests. SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT 31 | OCTOBER 2019 Key findings Historically, the National Prosecuting Authority The Public Protector’s office has fared (NPA) has had a tumultuous existence. somewhat better overall but its success The impulse to submit such an institution to ultimately depends on the calibre of the political control is strong. individual at its head. Its design – particularly the appointment Overall, the knock-on effect of process – makes this possible but might not in compromised political independence is itself have been a fatal flaw. that it is felt not only in the relationship between these institutions and outside Various presidents have seen the NPA and Public Protector as subordinate to forces, but within the institutions themselves and, as a result, have chosen themselves. leaders that they believe they could control to The Public Protector is currently the detriment of the institution. experiencing a crisis of public confidence. The selection of people with strong and This is because various courts, including visible political alignments made the danger of the Constitutional Court have found that politically inspired action almost inevitable.
  • 12-Politcsweb-Going-Off-The-Rails

    12-Politcsweb-Going-Off-The-Rails

    http://www.politicsweb.co.za/documents/going-off-the-rails--irr Going off the rails - IRR John Kane-Berman - IRR | 02 November 2016 John Kane-Berman on the slide towards the lawless South African state GOING OFF THE RAILS: THE SLIDE TOWARDS THE LAWLESS SOUTH AFRICAN STATE SETTING THE SCENE South Africa is widely recognised as a lawless country. It is also a country run by a government which has itself become increasingly lawless. This is so despite all the commitments to legality set out in the Constitution. Not only is the post–apartheid South Africa founded upon the principle of legality, but courts whose independence is guaranteed are vested with the power to ensure that these principles are upheld. Prosecuting authorities are enjoined to exercise their functions “without fear, favour, or prejudice”. The same duty is laid upon other institutions established by the Constitution, among them the public protector and the auditor general. Everyone is endowed with the right to “equal protection and benefit of the law”. We are all also entitled to “administrative action that is lawful, reasonable, and procedurally fair”. Unlike the old South Africa – no doubt because of it – the new Rechtsstaat was one where the rule of law would be supreme, power would be limited, and the courts would have the final say. This edifice, and these ideals, are under threat. Lawlessness on the part of the state and those who run it is on the increase. The culprits run from the president down to clerks of the court, from directors general to immigration officials, from municipal managers to prison warders, from police generals to police constables, from cabinet ministers to petty bureaucrats.
  • Bell Pottinger Faces Sanction Over Secret Gupta Campaign

    Bell Pottinger Faces Sanction Over Secret Gupta Campaign

    Legalbrief | your legal news hub Wednesday 29 September 2021 Bell Pottinger faces sanction over secret Gupta campaign The DA expects a ‘strong sanction’ against the Guptas’ former public relations firm Bell Pottinger, after the party received confirmation yesterday that its complaint against the firm had been upheld. A News24 report quotes DA spokesperson Phumzile van Damme as saying: ‘This means that the UK’s Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) professional practices committee has agreed that Bell Pottinger did indeed violate its Professional Charter, and/or its Public Affairs and Lobbying Code of Conduct.’ Bell Pottinger has five days to appeal and a final decision will be published during the week beginning 4 September. The report notes that the DA’s complaint, which was heard last week, stems from the #GuptaLeaks, which revealed how the London-based PR firm assisted the Guptas – after meeting with Duduzane Zuma – to create a narrative meant to discredit the Guptas’ many critics. A report in The Guardian says the PRCA heard allegations that Bell Pottinger sought to stir up anger about ‘white monopoly capital’ and the ‘economic apartheid’ in SA to draw attention away from the wealthy and controversial Gupta family, who have been accused of benefiting financially from their close links to President Jacob Zuma. The report notes the PRCA is considering a range of actions it could take against Bell Pottinger, including terminating its membership of the trade body. Other possible disciplinary options include a formal warning or reprimand..
  • A Seat at the Table

    A Seat at the Table

    April 2018 - July 2018 www.un.org/africarenewal YOUTH DEMAND: A seat at the table Africa’s young achievers Bringing rural women to the frontline Mission accomplished: Peacekeeping success in Liberia CONTENTS April 2018 - June 2018 | Vol. 32 No. 1 4 SPECIAL FEATURE COVER STORY Africa youth demand a seat at the table 6 The hashtag revolution gaining ground 8 Nurturing young leaders 10 Interview: Jayathma Wickramanayake, UN youth envoy 12 Music: Nigeria’s popular artistic exports chart a new path 14 Profile: Raphael Obonyo Liberian women promote non-violence during the 2011 elections in Liberia. UNMIL/Emmanuel Tobey 15 Profile: Phumzile Van Damme 16 Profile: William Elong 17 Profile: Eric Kaduru 18 Profile: Gwendolyn Myers 19 Profile: Gogontlejang Phaladi Acting Editor-in-Chief ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Zipporah Musau 20 Interview: Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women executive director Acting Managing Editor 22 The UN’s new era of partnership with Africa Kingsley Ighobor 24 Mission accomplished: 15 years of peacekeeping success in Liberia Staff Writer 26 Interview: Lt. Gen. Daniel Opande, first force commander, UNMIL Franck Kuwonu 28 Women: Liberia’s guardians of peace Research & Media Liaison 29 Africa could be the next frontier for cryptocurrency Pavithra Rao 30 Cape Town water taps running dry Shu Zhang 32 South African tourism holding steady Yinying Lin DEPARTMENTS Design & Production 3 Watch Paddy D. Ilos, II 35 Books Administration 35 Appointments Dona Joseph Cover photo: An African youth makes a point at an international youth forum at the UN head- Distribution quarters in New York. Africa Renewal/Shu Zhang Atar Markman Africa Renewal (ISSN 2517-9829) is published in supporting organizations.
  • Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams Must Work Together with the SABC and Treasury to Save the Public Broadcaster

    Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams Must Work Together with the SABC and Treasury to Save the Public Broadcaster

    Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams must work together with the SABC and Treasury to save the public broadcaster Phumzile Van Damme MP – DA Shadow Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Honourable Chairperson, On the State of the Nation (SONA) red carpet the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams declared that her dress “…was to remind South Africans that Stella is a princess.” I thought it bizarre that a Minister, a public representative, would see it fit to “remind” the people of South Africa that she is a princess, and not a servant of the people as she was elected to be. Princess Stella’s attitude was unfortunately not limited to the red carpet. It became patently clear that the Minister did indeed consider herself a fairytale princess to whom all must bow. Her approach and treatment of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is indeed of one who considers herself above the law that applies to us common folk. She claimed that the judgment of High Court judgment in the SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition, and by implication, the Broadcasting Act did not really apply to her role in her role as the Minister of Communications. In reference to the effects of the Broadcasting Act and its implications on the Minister’s relationship with the SABC’s board, Matojane J held: Because the SABC is the medium that should allow the free flow of ideas that is necessary for our democracy to function, the state must ensure that it has the necessary structural and operational independence. The judgment further read: The Minister, as the representative of the sole shareholder and not a member of the Board, does not have the right to act on behalf of SABC or to manage its business or affairs… The ultimate decision-making power is that of the Board and not the Minister as a sole shareholder…” This means, Chairperson, that the Minister has a constitutional duty to work with the SABC, without unduly interfering in operational decisions taken by the board.
  • One by One the Dominoes Fall Assessing Life After Zuma

    One by One the Dominoes Fall Assessing Life After Zuma

    HAMBA KAHLE CDE RICA HODGSON! February 2018 Voice of the South African Communist Party Dawn of the post-Nasrec era ONE BY ONE THE DOMINOES FALL Assessing life after Zuma Now more than ever our Party must play its vanguard role! 2 Umsebenzi NEW YEAR Advancing into new, uncertain times As South Africa moves into exciting, but uncertain, times, writes Jeremy Cronin, our Party must be strategically consistent, analytically alert and tactically flexible enin is reputed to have once said on the matter (a report that somehow Mbeki… only to be re-hired and gifted “there are decades where nothing manages to leave the Guptas out of the with a fancy Dubai apartment when his happens, and weeks where decades equation). father’s fortunes turned. Lhappen.” It would be an exaggera- Yes, much of what is happening is still Over a year ago, the SACP called for tion to claim decades have been hap- half moves, reluctant shifts, or just the an independent judicial commission into pening in South Africa in the past few beginnings of long suppressed investiga- corporate capture of the state. The former weeks. We are not exactly living through tions. But we shouldn’t underestimate Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela’s State “ten days that shook the world” as John what is afoot, or fail to act vigorously in of Capture report took up this idea and Reed once described the 1917 Bolshevik support of the momentum that has now added that, since he was implicated in the Revolution. opened up. report, President Zuma could not select But we are certainly living through Everywhere, former Gupta political the judge.
  • Accountability and the Role of Independent Constitutional Institutions in South Africa’S Post-Apartheid Constitutions

    Accountability and the Role of Independent Constitutional Institutions in South Africa’S Post-Apartheid Constitutions

    NYLS Law Review Vols. 22-63 (1976-2019) Volume 60 Issue 1 Twenty Years of South African Constitutionalism: Constitutional Rights, Article 8 Judicial Independence and the Transition to Democracy January 2016 Accountability and the Role of Independent Constitutional Institutions in South Africa’s Post-Apartheid Constitutions HEINZ KLUG Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin and an Honorary Senior Research Associate in the School of Law at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/nyls_law_review Part of the Constitutional Law Commons Recommended Citation HEINZ KLUG, Accountability and the Role of Independent Constitutional Institutions in South Africa’s Post- Apartheid Constitutions, 60 N.Y.L. SCH. L. REV. (2015-2016). This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@NYLS. It has been accepted for inclusion in NYLS Law Review by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@NYLS. NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL LAW REVIEW VOLUME 60 | 2015/16 VOLUME 60 | 2015/16 Heinz Klug Accountability and the Role of Independent Constitutional Institutions in South Africa’s Post-Apartheid Constitutions 60 N.Y.L. Sch. L. Rev. 153 (2015–2016) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Heinz Klug is Evjue-Bascom Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin and an Honorary Senior Research Associate in the School of Law at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Part of this article was originally presented as a keynote address entitled “Poverty, Good Governance and Achieving the Constitution’s Promise,” at the Good Governance Conference in Pretoria, South Africa in October 2013.
  • Israeli Firm Tells Why It Ditched Bell Pottinger

    Israeli Firm Tells Why It Ditched Bell Pottinger

    Legalbrief | your legal news hub Tuesday 28 September 2021 Israeli firm tells why it ditched Bell Pottinger A small Tel Aviv-based reputation management company sub-contracted by Bell Pottinger to promote the Gupta family and Oakbay in South Africa ditched the London-based multinational when it learnt it had been implicated in state capture in South Africa, according to a Daily Maverick report. It says Ran Blayer, CEO of Veribo, a boutique online reputation management company, confirmed last week that Bell Pottinger had been one of its customers. ‘Bell Pottinger hired us in connection to their customer, Oakbay and the Gupta family,’ Blayer confirmed, adding, ‘We learned earlier this year of what is really going on in South Africa and terminated work on Gupta/Oakbay. We have since read more (of) what has been going on in South Africa. This is shocking and unacceptable to us. We now regret our involvement with these individuals.’ Meanwhile, notes the report, DA national spokesperson and shadow Minister of Communications, Phumzile van Damme, who has been at the forefront of ensuring Bell Pottinger face some sort of inquiry, was last week finalising statements to be dispatched to the UK industry body the Public Relations and Communications Association, which will be conducting the probe, which starts on 18 August. DA leader Mmusi Maimane says he has personally written to companies, urging them to terminate their relationship with Bell Pottinger. Maimane said public and legal representatives of the DA would be present at a disciplinary inquiry into the racially-fuelled propaganda campaign Bell Pottinger had conducted on behalf of the Guptas, notes a TimesLIVE report.
  • Lessons from the African Peer Review Mechanism

    Lessons from the African Peer Review Mechanism

    RESEARCH REPORT 17 Governance and APRM Programme August 2014 Getting Down to Business: Lessons from the African Peer Review Mechanism A look at the corporate governance thematic area in the Country Review Reports on Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia Terence Corrigan ABOUT SAIIA The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) has a long and proud record as South Africa’s premier research institute on international issues. It is an independent, non-government think tank whose key strategic objectives are to make effective input into public policy, and to encourage wider and more informed debate on international affairs, with particular emphasis on African issues and concerns. It is both a centre for research excellence and a home for stimulating public engagement. SAIIA’s research reports present in-depth, incisive analysis of critical issues in Africa and beyond. Core public policy research themes covered by SAIIA include good governance and democracy; economic policymaking; international security and peace; and new global challenges such as food security, global governance reform and the environment. Please consult our website www.saiia.org.za for further information about SAIIA’s work. ABOUT THE GOVERNA NCE A ND A PRM P ROGRA MME SAIIA’s Governance and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) programme aims to place governance and African development at the centre of local and global discussions about the continent’s future. Its overall goal is to improve the ability of the APRM to contribute