Eight months after Jacob Zuma was fired from government, the former deputy president returned to Parliament on Friday a different man, and sat in the public gallery overlooking the seat he occupied in his days as the country's second most powerful politician.

Contrary to expectations, Zuma's arrival in parliament was a relatively quiet affair. It went unnoticed by many people who attended the legislative power house to listen to President Thabo Mbeki's state of the nation address.

Soon after being dropped by his motorcade at the steps to the National Assembly, Zuma was ushered into the House where he sat with some of the distinguished guests in the VIP box facing the government benches.

He was flanked on his left by South Africa's last white president, FW de Klerk, and his wife, Elita. On Zuma's right sat Johannesburg businessman Tom Boya.

But anonymity seemed to suit Zuma, who appeared disinclined to attract public attention as he sat quietly next to De Klerk and, like everyone else, gave the woman who succeeded him, deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, a standing ovations when she entered the House.

Mlambo-Ngcuka's husband Bulelani Ngcuka sat further down in the gallery. Watching the proceedings with him was the wife of former president Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel, and Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor.

Ngcuka is credited by many for Zuma's downfall as it was under his leadership as the country's National Prosecuting Authority head that the Scorpions began investigating Zuma and his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik for alleged corruption.

Zuma, however, probably derived some kind of personal gratification as Mbeki acknowledged his presence in the gallery, as well as that of De Klerk, even though both men had not been included in the list of important guest to be saluted in the president's opening remarks.

As Mbeki completed his speech, he received another standing ovation from Zuma, who immediately left for a lunch. He declined repeated requests to talk to the media.

With acknowledgements to Thokozani Mtshali and The Star.