The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will hold its first media briefing at 11am on Thursday where it will give an official report of audited results after a long night of counting throughout the country. Voting proceeded relatively hitch-free on Wednesday. The IEC is likely to give the first indication of voter turnout on Thursday morning.
With 33% of the ballots cast nationally counted by 5:30am, the ANC held 50.4% of the vote, the DA 33% and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 6.3%. The ANC has won six of the eight municipalities declared overnight, while the DA won two Western Cape municipalities.
In Johannesburg, with 12% of voting districts declared in the early hours, the DA held 44.73%, the ANC 40.41% and the EFF 9.96%. In Tshwane, with 16% of voting districts declared, the race also remained tight with the DA receiving 44.8% of the vote, the ANC 42.34% and EFF 8.48%.
In the much-watched Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, 23% of voting districts were declared overnight. The DA has surged ahead with 59.9%, the ANC 31.3% and the EFF 3.76%. The DA is also far in the lead in the City of Cape Town with 30% of voting districts declared. The DA has 72.22% of the vote so far, the ANC 18.76%, and the EFF 3.19%.
In Gauteng, the DA is also ahead in the Midvaal municipality with 69% of voting districts declared. It won over 60% of the vote and 11 of the 15 wards. In Ekurhuleni, the DA has 72.59%, ANC 20.21% and EFF 3.51% with 18% of voting districts declared.
No results from the eThekwini Metro had yet been declared by early Thursday morning. DM.