South Africa
In photos: In the belly of the IEC beast
The country has voted and the results (most of them) are in. GREG NICOLSON joined the country’s top contenders at the IEC’s hub in Pretoria as the numbers came in on Thursday to capture the excitement, the boredom and mingling.
Helen Zille was said to be disappointed with the DA’s results. She was present in shifts at the IEC centre, taking a nap when her key lieutenants worked the floor.
ANC members look at the results come in. The party’s desks were by far the most vibrant as the ANC proved it still has much support.
ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe’s party was struggling for votes to get a seat in parliament.
ANC’s Jessie Duarte’s typical scowl at the ANC desk. The deputy secretary general was present for most of the day.
A view of the ROC, the results operation centre.
Freedom Front Plus members hoped to capitalise on the DA’s attempts to open the party up as more than a white party. Here, they watch results tick in.
It was a horrible day for Agang, which is battling to get one seat in parliament. Mamphela Ramphele wasn’t seen at the ROC after the morning.
The DA’s Mmusi Maimane with ANC’s Malusi Gigaba, laughing and exchanging phone numbers after a tough election campaign.
EFF members study results over a computer.
The NFP put in a convincing run in its first national and provincial elections.
Embattled IEC chairperson Pansy Tlakula showed no signs of the recent struggles over her position as she fielded questions from the media.
The ANC’s Gwede Mantashe was an ever-present force at the ROC, wandering under the results board, whistling and eating nuts, and chatting to all the opposition parties.
President Jacob Zuma did a brief tour of the centre with ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa. He smiles here in front of the results board.
Thumbs up. Zuma met members of other parties and gave them a thumbs up as the ANC was in front nationally and in all provinces but the Western Cape. DM
Main photo: In front of a TV that was permanently on ANN7, Mantashe gives Zuma an update on the vote count.