Cape Town — Newly elected President Kgalema Motlanthe moved quickly yesterday to reassure SA and the world there would be no changes in policy by his new administration.

He insisted that implementation of African National Congress (ANC) policy would continue unchanged.

Shortly after being sworn in by Chief Justice Pius Langa, Motlanthe moved to help repair the damage done earlier in the week with the pro-forma resignation of a third of the cabinet, including Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.

Motlanthe said in the National Assembly the new government had been given the task of implementing ANC policies.

"These policies, which government will continue to implement unchanged, are the product of an extensive consultation and decision-making process.

"These policies are the property of a collective. They do not belong to any one individual. And it is not for any one individual to change them."

Motlanthe's election caused not a ripple in the markets.

The rand opened at R8,17 to the dollar, and gained ground against most major currencies, particularly the greenback because of turmoil in the US banking and financial sector. By close of trade in SA, it was R8,11 to the dollar.

Motlanthe said ANC policies were clear as they came from the ANC's 2004 election manifesto, and were enhanced by last June's policy conference and the national conference of Polokwane last December.

"Mine is not the desire to deviate from what is working. It is not for me to reinvent policy. Nor do I intend to reshape either cabinet or the public service," Motlanthe said.

He would not allow the work of the government to be disrupted or for the stability of the democratic order to be compromised. "At this moment in our history, as we stand poised to make still further advances towards the achievement of a better life, it is as important as ever that we stand united as a nation.

"It is as important as ever that we retain our faith in the resilience of our constitutional order and the vibrancy of our democracy."

The commitment to advancing the interests of the people of SA was unwavering regardless of unexpected difficulties. "In 2004, the people of this country gave a clear and unequivocal mandate to this government to forge a people's contract to create work and fight poverty.

"It placed on this government the responsibility to use all means at its disposal to ensure that by 2014 we would be able to reduce poverty and unemployment by half.

"When its term ends next year, this government will be able to report to the people that indeed it has done as it was mandated," Motlanthe said.

"It will be able to report on an economy that has sustained a pace of growth unprecedented in recent South African history, that has created jobs at an accelerated pace and that has enabled government to dedicate greater resources to meeting the basic needs of our people."

Motlanthe, after the dismissal of former president Thabo Mbeki, held out an olive branch to Mbeki supporters still in government and Parliament by praising Mbeki and his achievements in almost 10 years at the helm.

He said to South Africans and the world at large that "this government will continue, as it has done under the leadership of President Thabo Mbeki, to dedicate every day that it remains in office towards the achievement of this goal".

"We are here to assure all those on our continent and in the world that we will continue to meet our international obligations. We will continue to play a positive role within international institutions and forums. We will continue to provide whatever assistance we can in the pursuit of peace, security, democracy and development in Africa.

"We remain on course to host in 2010 the best Fifa World Cup ever - an African World Cup. We fully expect to meet every commitment our nation has made to the football world. In a turbulent global economy, we will remain true to the policies that have kept SA steady, and that have ensured sustained growth.

"We will intensify the all-round effort to accelerate the rate of growth and job creation," Motlanthe said.

With Renée Bonorchis