ANC president Jacob Zuma has called for the "chapter of tension and mistrust" between the ruling party and its alliance partners to be closed.

Opening an alliance summit in Midrand on Friday, he said: "Arising from this historic summit, we must close the chapter of tension and mistrust and open a new chapter of unity and action and neutral respect."

The meeting was the first since 2002 of the alliance which comprises the African National Congress, the SA Communist Party, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) and SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco).

Zuma said the ANC's national conference in Polokwane in December was followed by visible unity within the alliance.

"We have spoken in one voice on issues facing our country and continent, the food and fuel prices, the energy challenge and the crisis in Zimbabwe," he said.

"We returned to the old tradition of the alliance wherein we approach issues from a common platform."

The relationship between the ANC and its Alliance partners has become somewhat strained under the leadership of President Thabo Mbeki.

The SACP and Cosatu played a significant role in securing victory for Zuma in his bid for the presidency of the ruling party.

Zuma urged the alliance to tackle development problems facing South Africa, most notably poverty, which was critical in the context of rising food and fuel process.

He took the opportunity to condemn the price fixing of basic food stuffs.

"The fixing of the prices of basic foodstuff such as bread is totally unacceptable and our people need the visible action of the Alliance and our government to protect them from unscrupulous retailers," Zuma said to loud applause.

Focusing on unity within the alliance, Zuma stressed that the partners, while part of an alliance, remained "autonomous entities".

"While we work together in practice, each component of the Alliance is an autonomous entity. No alliance partner can dictate to, and seek to control others," he said.

"I am therefore confident as we deliberate in the summit, we will be able to rise above our recent uncomfortable past, and address the issues objectively and comradely for the sake of our organisations, our people and our country."

Zuma was addressing more than 100 delegates at an auditorium at Gallagher Estate.

Among these were newly-elected NEC member and businessman Tokyo Sexwale, and members of the central executive committees of the SACP and Cosatu.

ANC secretary general and Sanco chairman Gwede Mantashe sat on the stage flanked by SACP general-secretary Blade Nzimande, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, Cosatu acting president Sdumo Dlamini and ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe.

Sapa