Kgalema Motlanthe took office today as South Africa's president and stressed he would keep to the policies of his predecessor Thabo Mbeki, who resigned in the worst political crisis since apartheid.
In a move to reassure investors rattled by the crisis, former trade union leader Motlanthe reappointed respected finance minister Trevor Manuel, whose resignation on Tuesday hit the rand currency and stocks.
Mines minister Buyelwa Sonjica was also reappointed.
Mr Motlanthe, deputy leader of the ruling African National Congress, made only one change in key economic portfolios, appointing Brigitte Mabandla to replace Mbeki loyalist Alec Erwin at the head of the public enterprise ministry responsible for troubled power utility Eskom.
Mr Motlanthe was overwhelmingly elected earlier by parliament in a secret ballot and will serve as interim president until a general election next year when ANC leader Jacob Zuma is expected to become head of state.
The ANC withdrew its backing for Mr Mbeki on Saturday after a judge suggested he had interfered in a graft case against Mr Zuma, who toppled him as head of the party last December.
In his acceptance speech after being sworn in, Mr Motlanthe also stressed continuity with the policies of Mr Mbeki, who presided over the longest period of growth in South African history.
"We will remain true to the policies that have kept South Africa steady and that have ensured sustained growth," the new president said. But he vowed to intensify efforts to increase growth and job creation and "ensure that the benefits of growth are equally shared by all our people."
Mr Mbeki's failure to bring the fruits of black majority rule to the army of poor was a leading cause of his unpopularity with the leftist ANC backers of Mr Zuma, his long term rival.