New ANC leader Jacob Zuma said today he would work with South African President Thabo Mbeki to unite the party after the worst rifts in its history.
Mr Zuma ousted Mr Mbeki as party leader on Tuesday, and their intense rivalry has badly divided the party, which has ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994.
He said in a conciliatory closing speech to an ANC conference that he and Mr Mbeki were not enemies and there would be no fundamental shift in the party's policy.
"I am called upon to lead this . . . party, succeeding comrade Thabo Mbeki, a comrade, friend and brother."
He added: "I must confess I never thought that the two of us would one day compete for the same position in the ANC. However, contesting positions does not make us enemies."
Responding to concern that the split between head of state and ANC leader would paralyse decision-making in South Africa, Mr Zuma said he would work for a smooth relationship between party and government.
"We need to heal the ANC. We must also work with government and other sectors to build a caring society," Zuma said.
The new leader also moved to head off nervousness among investors that he would swing South Africa's biggest economy to the left because of his backing from trade unions and the Communist Party.
"There is . . . no reason why the domestic and international business community, or any other sector, should be uneasy," he said.
"We have to strengthen the relationships with organised business so that we can continue growing the South African economy. Clearly, we have a lot of work to do," he added.