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In 1999, South Africa was one of the founding nations (and the only one from Africa) of the Group of 20, a bloc of wealthy and developing countries assembled to promote global equality and honest governance. Without South Africa, this forum might not have been conceived. In the country鈥檚 transition from apartheid to nonracial democracy five years earlier, longtime enemies defined and divided by ethnicity forged a common new national identity through shared values. Their achievement gave their country unrivaled moral standing in the world. The country poised this month to host the first G20 summit on African soil, however, is a very different story. After three decades of one-party rule, the potholes run deep and the disillusionment runs deeper.We turned to Terence McNamee, a longtime resident observer of South Africa, to help us understand how the stories that nations tell about themselves are lodestars 鈥� and, when necessary, a basis for renewal.At their best, newspapers nourish independent thinking. Terry鈥檚 essay is vigorously told. The conclusions are yours.

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