When the opposition’s new parliamentary leader flexed muscles over her front bench, she was bench-pressing. A mere six MPs are left in their slots; 29 took a twirl on the dance floor.

Parliamentary leaders exist to lead. We all know the famous habit of the new broom.

Some commentators claim that Lindiwe Mazibuko punished people who stuck by her predecessor, Athol Trollip, in the race for the job. But she didn’t punish the captain of that team, justice spokeswoman Dene Smuts, and on balance the accusation rings hollow.

More unsettling is how Trollip himself wound up in the humble rural development portfolio that was Lindiwe’s, when she was almost the newest kid on the block.

Lindiwe correctly says the opposition must be feared by ministers who abuse power. But when people still settling into energy, basic education, and traditional affairs, say, get plucked off their paths and bunged into, respectively, labour, trade and industry, and mineral resources… it’s not clear how that frightens the ministers.

The DA is very fond of pointing out that it does things right. Good, the pointing out may not make you loved, but the doing makes you respected.

Just keep it that way, Lindiwe & Co. Doing right always means no hidden motives.