South Africa’s reputation as a beacon of hope for the world has been on the wane for some time. But the country arguably reached a new low in the eyes of the international community this month in its handling of President Omar al-Bashir’s visit. Why was he allowed to come in the first place? Why was immunity promised when it could clearly not be sustained legally? Who in government was complicit in the Sudanese President’s flagrant flouting of South African law? What does the incident say about the future of the rule of law in this country?