South Africa has been framed as a villain for the woes of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu ) in the wake of the fallout from the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) between the European Union (EU) and the Southern African Development Community. Reports have cast SA as the bullyboy and have attacked its position as obstructionist. The implication is that it is only the EU that has Africa’s best interests at heart. Nothing can be further from the truth.