2. INTRODUCTION The important role of the APRM as a programme of NEPAD which focuses on good governance cannot be overemphasised, as the success of NEPAD and the AU hinges on it7. The Report, therefore, covers progress made by South Africa to realise national and continent-wide commitments to good governance imperatives of the AU, using the APRM programme of NEPAD as a benchmark. South Africa’s Third Report on the implementation of the APRM National Programme of Action (NPoA) provides perspectives of government, civil society, organised labour and business on progress made in the implementation of the NPoA and challenges that are being addressed in order to advance the strategic objectives of the APRM for the period October 2010 – January 2013. The Report is a product of much wider consultation with stakeholders and interested parties in the APRM, across the country. The data used in the Report emanates largely from internal documents of government departments and agencies, cluster reports, as well as annual reports of government. Additional information was gathered during the provincial consultations with a variety of stakeholders and civil society organizations. The research team conducted desk-top research which included the perusal of reports published by research institutions such as the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR), the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR). The research team also reviewed journal articles, newspapers and reports on the matters reflected upon and some of them were drawn from notable institutions, and some from the internet. Sources used have been acknowledged in the body of the Report and in the list of references at the end. The report writing team comprised of a variety of experts from mainly organs of civil society and government, bringing together diverse skills and knowledge. The benefits of this and its challenges have strengthened the quality of this Report. The editor pulled the expertise and the variety of data together to produce this Report on what has been done towards the implementation of the APRM Programme of Action. The Report is divided into three parts. Part A is the Executive Summary; Part B is the main report which covers progress made and challenges encountered under the four thematic areas of the APRM; and Part C is the Matrix which specifies the objectives and progress achieved against each of the thematic areas: democracy and political governance; economic governance and management; corporate governance; socio-economic development. This Report shows that a great deal of interventions have been made during the period under review across the range of issues, from economic governance through the provision of essential public services to dealing with the nagging questions of racism and xenophobia. The Report details in a systematic manner how these interventions are owned by the country by assessing them against the country’s long-set goals because such ownership is critically important for sustained policy action. It shows that there are positive outcomes across the board. But there also remain many challenges confronted during the implementation of the APRM NPoA. So, the Report suggests that there is mixture of progress and remaining 7 Khati, TG (2006): ‘The achievements and challenges of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development’, Africa Insight, vol. 36, no. 2, June 2006, p. 31 29