POLOKWANE, South Africa, Dec 20, 2007 (AFP) - If Thabo Mbeki sent them to sleep at the start of conference, Jacob Zuma, the triumphant new leader of South Africa's ruling ANC, had delegates dancing in the aisles at its finale.
After a party gathering where followers were regularly overcome by the desire to shake their hips it was Zuma, a youthful 65, who led the party in a final jig accompanied by the sound of his controversial signature tune Umshini Wam (Zulu for Bring Me My Machinegun).
The five-day conference had begun in equally raucous fashion where Zuma followers belted out the same anthem despite the implorings of the now ex-party chairman Mosiuoa Lekota to show a touch more decorum.
It was only when Mbeki launched into a near three-hour speech, which sounded more like a university lecture than an appeal to hearts and minds, did members of Africa's oldest liberation movement start to settle down.
The long-winded speech underlined how Mbeki had long since lost touch with the rank-and-file, as did an eve of conference newspaper interview when he declared: "We must take this thing away from personalities -- the masses of our people are not in the least bit interested in who dances best."
While Mbeki's speech drowned in detail, Zuma's keynote address to an African National Congress now in his hands did nothing to assuage criticism that he has no firm policies.
On HIV-AIDS, Zuma promised to "build a caring society that does not discriminate against those living with HIV and AIDS, while working to prevent infections" in the country with the highest rate of infections in the world.
He was equally vague on how he intended to tackle South Africa's rampant crime rate, calling on "all ANC branches to actively lead, champion and facilitate crime prevention strategies".
While he did pay tribute to Mbeki as a "comrade, friend and brother", Zuma's warmest words were for the first black president Nelson Mandela -- the last man to truly connect with the party.
Although Mbeki listened politely to the speech, he stood up and left the conference hall after its conclusion without a traditional congratulatory handshake or hug.
In contrast, Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma -- who is Zuma's ex-wife -- clapped her hands to the sound of Umshini Wam.
After the speech, Zuma posed happily for pictures with delegates, hugging and kissing many of them, and ignored pleas from his bodyguards to move on.
Delegate Willem Box said the new leader -- in danger of being charged with corruption -- showed many of the qualities of the anti-apartheid icon Mandela.
"He is another Mandela, a hero to many of us, and has a clear message of unity," Box, who comes from the Western Cape province, told AFP.
"In his message he doesn't hold grudges, just like Madiba (Mandela's clan name) but calls for the everyone in the ANC to accommodate each other, that the two camps must go. He is indeed our saviour".
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