Trevor Manuel has mustered the highest number of votes for the African National Congress's national executive committee at the party's 51st national conference in Stellenbosch.
He joins former ANC member Bantu Holomisa and businessman Cyril Ramaphosa, who previously topped the NEC list at the party's Bloemfontein (1994) and Mafikeng (1997) conferences.
The 60-member elected NEC, which is also strengthened by ex-officio and co-opted members, is the highest decision-making body in between conferences.
The results were announced at the start of the conference's closing ceremony on Friday morning.
The top six office-bearers were elected unopposed earlier in the week, with President Thabo Mbeki returned as president, Jacob Zuma as his deputy, Mosiuo Lekota as the national chairman, Kgalema Motlanthe as secretary-general, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele as deputy secretary-general and treasurer-general Mendi Msimang.
Former deputy secretary-general Thenjiwe Mtintso did not stand for re-election, apparently because of ill-health.
Ramaphosa came in at second place, followed by foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, agriculture and land affairs minister Thoko Didiza and justice minister Penuell Maduna.
ANC Women's League president Winnie Madikizela-Mandela made it in at number six, followed by provincial and local government minister Sydney Mufamadi, education minister Kader Asmal and social development minister Zola Skweyiya.
ANC MP and chairman of the National Assembly foreign affairs committee Pallo Jordan came in at number 10. - Sapa