South Africa ? President Thabo Mbeki rallied thousands of supporters Saturday to celebrate the 95th anniversary of his African National Congress, a show of unity for a party facing a year of bickering over who should next lead South Africa.

Mbeki is expected to step down as the head of the ANC at its conference in December. The new party leader will likely be its presidential nominee after Mbeki’s second and final term ends in 2009.

The last years have seen deep divisions among the ANC, pitching Mbeki against Jacob Zuma, who was fired as deputy president in 2005 but retains popular support and remains the party’s No. 2 leader.