Bloomberg and other outlets reported Feb. 3 that Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States had warned South Africa's government that ineffective corruption probes and a weak rule of law could threaten foreign investment there. The U.S. Embassy in South Africa responded to the media reports Feb. 4 that it had merely sent South Africa's government an informal discussion paper and not a signed memorandum. The statement, however, came after South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) had fired back by condemning the perceived interference into its internal affairs. The memorandum may never have been real, but the problem of corruption and the Western concern it elicits certainly are....
