There can be no doubt of the almost unique position President Cyril Ramaphosa will be in when he delivers his Opening of Parliament Address on Thursday evening. It is not just that so much has changed since the elections, but that he is central to this edition of the South African government. However, this may mark the peak of his power, which could soon start to ebb.

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 coming together in harmony (despite ideological differences) could be overpowering. The sheer power of it boosted whoever was delivering the main speech of the evening.

Not so much any more.

This time, there will be just 159 ANC MPs, many of whom will still be working out their relationships with people from the DA, the IFP and the FF+, and their feelings towards former president Jacob Zuma and his MK party.

This may well produce a discordant chorus.

That said, when Ramaphosa starts addressing Parliament, he may well pause for an instant to reflect on how central he has become to South Africa's political establishment.

The crucial relationship of his coalition government is the one between the ANC and...