Someone fell asleep at the wheel here: the case against the faulty condom trio has been withdrawn because investigations have not been completed.

Someone fell asleep at the wheel here: the case against the faulty condom trio has been withdrawn because investigations have not been completed.

How can that be?

Sowetan broke the story almost a year ago. We detailed allegations that an inspector from the South African Bureau of Standards had been bribed to pass defective condoms used in the government campaign against HIV-Aids.

Once again the public's welfare had apparently been sacrificed so that a few hucksters could make an ill-earned buck.

Tens of millions of condoms were recalled and the cornerstone of the anti-Aids campaign was discredited.

Once again the justice system let us down. The alleged masterminds behind this scam walk free because the prosecutor can't bring a case against them.

This is just not good enough.

We would have expected the police and courts to throw their best resources into uncovering what happened in a case that involves the health of millions of ordinary South Africans. But once again we have been disappointed.

How often do we have to accept being disappointed by the institutions set up to protect this dynamic new democracy?

The time is long past when we can forgive bungling bureaucrats for their continuing incompetence.