Cyril Ramaphosa, deputy leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC), has said he is ready to lead the party.
"It would be very humbling to get into a key position like that, to lead. I am available to stand," he told local radio station Power FM.
But he was coy about what direction he would take, saying: "We not there yet, as the saying goes in English, do not count your chickens before they hatch."
A wealthy businessman - and a former trade unionist - he has been President Jacob Zuma’s ANC deputy since 2014.
He said he would tour party branches to hear whether members believe he is the right person to lead.
Mr Ramaphosa was given a boost last month when he won the support of the country’s biggest trade union.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said it wanted Mr Ramaphosa to succeed Mr Zuma as head of the African National Congress (ANC) when the governing party chooses its next leader in December next year.
Cosatu does not have voting power in the ANC, but boasts about two million members.
President Zuma is under pressure from within the ANC to resign following allegations of government corruption.
Mr Zuma denies any wrongdoing and is believed to want his former wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who is currently chair of African Union commission, to take over from him.
BBC
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