This qualitative study investigates the complex dynamics of peace implementation in South Sudan, focusing on the period following the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). It argues that the formal peace process has been consistently undermined by a parallel system of elite bargaining, which perpetuates cycles of violence and institutional fragility. Through an analysis of local perceptions and elite manoeuvring, the research identifies key structural and agential barriers to meaningful peacebuilding. The findings contribute to broader debates on hybrid political orders and the limitations of internationally brokered peace agreements in contexts of entrenched patrimonial governance.