Opinion and analyses suggest “ a promise of a cleaner South Africa ” after the Constitutional Court found former national director of public prosecutions Shaun Abrahams’ appointment was unlawful. Hope springs eternal and I’d like to believe, as these articles do, the “ criminal justice system is on the mend ” and the “ court fixes flaws in the NPA ”. But we must not be naive about the country’s deeply flawed institutions, politics and the way things are done here. Let’s be realistic, for every step forward, there’s one or two steps back. There have been so many promises about so many things but every time, or almost every time, it’s turned out to be foolish hope. Analyses of the judgement concentrate to one extent or another on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and criminal justice vis-à-vis corruption in the governing party and politics. That’s important, but more so is the NPA’s and law enforcement agencies’ dysfunction, and through that, its contribution to the c...