This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/8013666.stm
The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| ANC takes lead in election count | ANC takes lead in election count |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Early results have given South Africa's ANC a big lead in the general election but it is too soon to say if it has retained its two-thirds majority. | |
| Voting at some polling stations was allowed to go on late into the night because of an earlier shortage of ballot papers and boxes. | Voting at some polling stations was allowed to go on late into the night because of an earlier shortage of ballot papers and boxes. |
| A leader of the opposition Cope party was shot dead in Eastern Cape but the vote appeared otherwise peaceful. | A leader of the opposition Cope party was shot dead in Eastern Cape but the vote appeared otherwise peaceful. |
| The final, official results will not be known for days. | The final, official results will not be known for days. |
| With less than one fifth of votes counted, partial results showed the ruling ANC of Jacob Zuma had some 65% of the vote and the opposition Democratic Alliance around 21%. | With less than one fifth of votes counted, partial results showed the ruling ANC of Jacob Zuma had some 65% of the vote and the opposition Democratic Alliance around 21%. |
| Cope (Congress of the People), formed last year by a group which split from the ANC after ex-President Thabo Mbeki was replaced as leader, garnered around 8% of the vote. | Cope (Congress of the People), formed last year by a group which split from the ANC after ex-President Thabo Mbeki was replaced as leader, garnered around 8% of the vote. |
| Charges of corruption against Mr Zuma were dropped just two weeks before the poll after state prosecutors said there had been political interference in the case. | Charges of corruption against Mr Zuma were dropped just two weeks before the poll after state prosecutors said there had been political interference in the case. |
| High turnout | High turnout |
| Monday's poll was the country's fourth general election since the end of apartheid 15 years ago. | Monday's poll was the country's fourth general election since the end of apartheid 15 years ago. |
| In pictures: South Africa votes Your pictures: At the polls | In pictures: South Africa votes Your pictures: At the polls |
| Turnout was comparable to the last general election in 2004, when it was 76% and the ANC won 70% of the vote. | Turnout was comparable to the last general election in 2004, when it was 76% and the ANC won 70% of the vote. |
| Braving wintry weather on Wednesday, long queues of voters formed outside many of the 20,000 polling stations catering for 23 million registered voters around the country. | Braving wintry weather on Wednesday, long queues of voters formed outside many of the 20,000 polling stations catering for 23 million registered voters around the country. |
| Later in the day reports began to emerge of a surge in demand for ballot papers and long queues at polling stations. | Later in the day reports began to emerge of a surge in demand for ballot papers and long queues at polling stations. |
| Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille has threatened to take the IEC to court over the shortage of ballot papers, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reports. | Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille has threatened to take the IEC to court over the shortage of ballot papers, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reports. |
| She said 24 voting stations had run out of ballot papers in parts of Gauteng and Cape Town - areas where her party has a strong following, according to the SABC. | She said 24 voting stations had run out of ballot papers in parts of Gauteng and Cape Town - areas where her party has a strong following, according to the SABC. |
| In Eastern Cape Province, Cope official Gerlad Yona was shot and mortally wounded when three armed men attacked his home, a party spokesman said. | In Eastern Cape Province, Cope official Gerlad Yona was shot and mortally wounded when three armed men attacked his home, a party spokesman said. |
| Nkosifikile Gqomo said the party believed the attack was linked to politics. | Nkosifikile Gqomo said the party believed the attack was linked to politics. |
| Second place fight | Second place fight |
| Many of the new voters were young people who had little memory of the struggle to end white minority rule, which brought the ANC to power. | Many of the new voters were young people who had little memory of the struggle to end white minority rule, which brought the ANC to power. |
| Zille responds to charges of running a negative campaign | Zille responds to charges of running a negative campaign |
| Analysts say Cope's emergence energised the early stages of the election campaign but the party's popularity seems to have diminished in recent weeks. | Analysts say Cope's emergence energised the early stages of the election campaign but the party's popularity seems to have diminished in recent weeks. |
| Cope fielded a relatively unknown presidential candidate, former Bishop Mvume Dandala who, analysts say, has struggled to make an impact. | Cope fielded a relatively unknown presidential candidate, former Bishop Mvume Dandala who, analysts say, has struggled to make an impact. |
| Some say the real battle is between Cope and the Democratic Alliance for second place. | Some say the real battle is between Cope and the Democratic Alliance for second place. |
| Neither party has ruled out entering into a coalition after the election. | Neither party has ruled out entering into a coalition after the election. |