Mr Nelson Mandela called for South African political unity shortly after the inauguration of his successor, Mr Mbeki.
Addressing a massive public gathering on the lawns of Pretoria's administrative Union Buildings, Mr Mandela (80) congratulated South African opposition parties for not opposing Mr Mbeki's election as president and burying the political differences of the election campaign.
"The people have spoken and elected their president," Mr Mandela said, speaking from behind a bullet-proof glass structure on a stage at the beginning of a festival of African music to mark the occasion.
Political parties, he said, had to forget having "slaughtered each other with words" during the campaign. They should work together for the benefit of the country. "It is now the task of the president and the African National Congress to unite our country and to forget those differences, and I have no doubt that we have a capable man who will rise up to the challenges that face him."
Mr Mandela, who exchanged seats with Mr Mbeki immediately after his successor was sworn in during the official ceremony held earlier, was accompanied by the new leader, his wife, Zanele, and Mr Mandela's wife, Graca Machel.
Mr Mandela paid tribute to the musicians taking part in the celebration, particularly those who had suffered under apartheid regime which his election in 1994 consigned to history.
"Our artists, our singers, were for decades confined to the townships, to the ghettoes of our country. They could not perform on platforms like this."
Mr Mbeki paid tribute to the youth of South Africa which had led the uprising against apartheid in the townships. It was proper that his inauguration should fall on June 16th, South Africa's Youth Day, "because without this struggle, and the sacrifices of our youth, it is possible that we would not be standing here today".
In contrast to his rather staid image, Mr Mbeki promised the crowd of around 50,000 that he would return later after attending a specially arranged South Africa-Zimbabwe soccer international. "If you are still here, I will join you, so that we can together dance kwaito" - a form of hip-hop music with a uniquely South African sound