The past 48 hours have seen some of the swiftest changes in this country's recent history. It must surely be right up there with the unbanning of liberation movements in 1990 and the transition to democracy in 1994. Oh, as well as that dramatic week in September 2008 with the other recall.
But to watch eNCA (not ANN7) on Thursday afternoon after Jacob Zuma's Wednesday night, resignation was an almost surreal experience. On the podium stood a new head of state, charming the pants off everyone watching the broadcast, and at the bottom of the screen the ticker blurted it out: "Hawks confirm Ajay Gupta is fugitive from justice", or something to that effect.
On the same day, while Zuma was cleaning up Mahlamba'Ndlopfu before the arrival of Dr Tshepo Motsepe and her family, some of the Guptas' closest associates – including a nephew, their company's CEO and a trusted henchman – appeared in the magistrate's court in Bloemfontein. And on Friday morning, a Free State MEC and the CEO of BloemWater were arrested as well.
The crooks seem to be on the run, and there is no South African who doesn't take enormous joy in seeing this crowd getting their comeuppance. If JZ hasn't left their WhatsApp group yet, he should. He's going to get plenty of abusive messages on the long drive back to Nkandla.
But just because we have collectively started to experience a large bout of schadenfreüde at the deserved misfortunes of these crooks, we must not release the pressure on Ramaphosa – delighted as we are that Zuma won't be walking to the podium tonight. He must be bold and assured when making changes, and he must do so urgently. While the air of optimism is palpable, nothing has changed yet. We haven't seen any prosecutions, and we haven't seen changes in policy and execution.
Of course, Ramaphosa has been on office for scarcely 24 hours. That's why tonight's opening of Parliament is so important. It isn't a coronation. It must be a call to arms: for the citizenry, the civil service and civil society.
The press gallery, behind and above the podium in the National Assembly, gives the media a unique view on proceedings in the house. Since 2015, however, it felt more like a ringside boxing seat than the demure and dignified surrounds of the country's legislature.
Zuma's contempt for the Constitution and rule of law, ably assisted by the ANC, led to the degeneration of the state of the nation address (Sona). Sure, disrupting the NA became the EFF's trademark, but Zuma was the first to defile parliament by thumbing his nose at accountability.
On Friday that will hopefully change. Hopefully South Africans will be able to focus on the content of Ramaphosa's speech and the direction he gives, rather than waiting for speaker Baleka Mbete's bouncers to grab EFF leader Julius Malema by the balls.
This is what we'll be looking out for from the gallery:
1. Ramaphosa's style: How he delivers the speech, where he pauses, whom he looks at, whom he welcomes, and how MPs respond to him. Performance and rhetoric are important parts of a statesman's repertoire.
2. Policy and positioning: The new president has a laundry list of problems longer than the board of Steinhoff's. The ANC's national conference was all about the leadership contest; let's see where the policy pressure points are.
3. Crooks and corruption: The Nando's ad, in which the Guptas flee their Saxonwold mansion, could possible mean more for national unity than the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Ramaphosa must name and shame.
4. Bootlickers: We'll be watching closely how chameleons like Malusi Gigaba (current minister of finance) and Fikile Mbalula (nominal minister of police) fawn over their new president. We see them.
5. National reaction: South Africans want hope, and it's time they get it. Ramaphosa needs to deliver with some soaring oratory. There's a time and place for it, and it's now.