South Africa: Ahead of Parliament address, President Ramaphosa finds himself at peak power – possibly not for long

The scene in Cape Town’s City Hall on Thursday evening, before President Cyril Ramaphosa even arrives to deliver his Opening of Parliament Address, may well be an important indicator of how the results of the 29 May elections have changed our politics.

In the past, even when opposition parties tried to control the atmosphere with shouting and singing, they were no match for the organised symphony of the ANC’s admittedly awesome singing performance.

The sound of more than 250 ANC MPs…