Rhoda Kadalie's anguished article has led to another round of understandable hand-wringing and cries of "what is to be done?" Sounding the alarm bells - as Kadalie is doing - certainly needs to be done. But there are also some things that should not be done, in particular, losing a sense of proportion.

SA is NOT, as Kadalie implies, Russia or Zimbabwe. The public-spirited South Africans who expose corruption, injustices and attempts to undermine the rule of law are not being bumped off, imprisoned or forced into exile - as happens fairly systematically in Russia, Zimbabwe and, alas, many other countries. A comparison of the conduct of elections in these three countries over the last decade will surely support the contention that SA really is in a different league.

Keeping a sense of perspective requires bearing in mind that the struggle for minimal standards of decency and accountability in public life is worldwide, including in western countries. This is evident in the currrent exposures in the UK of the extent to which the parliamentary system, and the police, have been suborned by the Murdoch press, as well as in the continued refusal of UK governments to investigate massive corruption over defence contracts, which has been hugely costly to the overstretched fiscus, as well as contributing to the UK's declining military capacity.

And what of the irresponsible populism - with big financing from wealthy Americans and support from the Murdoch press - that has led to political gridlock in the USA, leading it to the verge of defaulting on its debts, which could yet have appalling consequences both for that country and for the rest of the world? And don't even mention the pervasive corruption that poisons Italian politics....

Achieving decent governance is a difficult, never-ending struggle everywhere. To suggest that what is happening in SA is uniquely bad and shocking risks debasing the coinage, throws doubt on justifiable concerns about the negative trends that undoubtedly exist, and provides ammunition for those who accuse the ANC's critics and rivals of lacking balance and indulging in hysteria. For as long as, and to the extent that, the SA government resists the (worrying and dangerous) pressures to undermine the rule of law and the constitution, it should be given due recognition and credit.

Analysts will contribute best to the consolidation of SA's constitutional democracy if they strive for a more detached, long term view that avoids swinging between the extremes of "it's all hopeless" or "everything is OK".

Merle Lipton
Chatham House, London

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