JOHANNESBURG — As Parliament took just eight minutes on Thursday to elect Cyril Ramaphosa as South Africa’s new president, the governing African National Congress rushed to put the era of Jacob Zuma behind it, showing little appetite to grapple with the central problem afflicting the party, and the country — a culture of corruption.

Mr. Zuma, who was found guilty of violating the Constitution and led a nine-year presidency rife with corruption, may have come to symbolize misconduct to most South Africans. But corruption permeates the government, and it is unclear whether the country can move on without first looking back.

During brief comments on Thursday after his election, Mr. Ramaphosa said he would serve “with humility, with faithfulness and with dignity as well” — words that drew an immediate contrast with Mr. Zuma’s style and conduct.

He also broached the subject of corruption more directly when he responded to an opposition member’s comments about widespread graft across Mr. Zuma’s government.