By most accounts new President Jacob Zuma's inauguration speech was well received.

By most accounts new President Jacob Zuma's inauguration speech was well received.

It touched on most areas of concern to most South Africans. It also acknowledged the role of his predecessors, including the last apartheid era president FW de Klerk, and it promised a "nation filled with the laughter and joy of children".

But presidents are not measured by the greatness of their speeches. Zuma's predecessor as ANC president is proof of this. We will measure him on what he achieves.

Yesterday he gave us a glimpse of what we could expect when he named his first cabinet. Naturally, there will be misgivings about some of the names included and those excluded. But warts and all, Zuma and these men and women are our government. They deserve our support.

Zuma is no longer merely ANC president. He is president of us all.

That is why we will watch him and his cabinet like hawks. His administration has been built on the view that the last time a head of state was afforded too much space it was to the detriment of us all.

As our president and government, we wish them all the best. As our new president said in his oath of office, we too pledge to do our part to "promote all that will advance the republic, and oppose all that may harm it".