"Opposition is true friendship" is a striking phrase in a poem by William Blake.
He was making a mystical point about the creativity sparked by opposites, but it applies in down-to-earth politics as well.
Jacob Zuma has tried to reinvent himself as president by advocating high standards of service, integrity and accountability.
This is all very welcome. People want good news and a change in direction, so even Zapiro has suspended his shower head Zuma cartoons.
Zuma has also made overtures to opposition political parties, a change from former president Thabo Mbeki's disdain.
Is this really a new era? There were similar hopes when Mbeki started, but we got HIV/Aids nuttiness, incompetent Ministers never fired, and the use of race to undermine the rainbow nation.