I suppose it is the shiny bright newness of SA's institutions that blinds commentators like John Kane-Berman to hard truths about them (Supine MPs must blame themselves, March 11).

Parliament cannot defend and promote the general interest when it is overwhelmingly composed of one interest, that of the executive, the African National Congress. Even if Frene Ginwala has woken up to it, her stand comes only over procedural matters: Yengeni and ministers appearing before the full house "to explain themselves". When a political struggle was raging, over the independence of the public accounts committee, Ginwala held fast to what the party wanted. And on the same issue, when Andrew Feinstein argued courageously that he represented the interests of the voters who put him there, Essop Pahad allegedly shouted at him, "No, they didn't! We put you there!"

In SA today virtually all political power is in the gift of one party. The only safety lies in a countervailing political power: a second party strong enough to offer voters the option of replacing government.

With acknowledgements to Paul Whelan and Business Day.