South Africa announces early election results in crucial polls

South Africa's electoral body on Thursday started announcing the first election results from Wednesday's highly contested national and provincial elections.

The ruling African National Congress party (ANC) has so far obtained 42.58% of the vote, with 14% of the ballots counted.

The official opposition in parliament Democratic Alliance party has clinched 25.82% of the vote while, the Economic Freedom Fighters party (EFF) has garnered 8.47% of the vote.

Former President Jacob Zuma's Umkonto We Sizwe party formed recently is currently in the fourth position with 7.85% of the vote defeating many old parties.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) still has a long way to go with counting underway. It says the final results will be ready by the weekend.

South Africans on Wednesday voted to elect national and provincial lawmakers in a contest believed to be the tightest since the first post-apartheid democratic elections of 1994.

There were over 27 million registered voters in the country of some 62 million people.

Experts and opinion polls have suggested that the ANC might not get a 51% mark to win the elections and form its own government without a coalition.

The IEC said Wednesday night this election had a huge voter turnout compared to the 2019 general election.

South Africans voted for lawmakers of provincial legislatures and 400 members of parliament, known as the National Assembly.

The voting is on a party basis and the parties get seats in the parliament.

These national lawmakers will then elect the president, which means that the party that wins the election gets ultimate power in the country.

The ANC has ruled South Africa since winning the first democratic elections in 1994 and it has never obtained below 50% in all the country's past 6 general elections.