Polls close and South Africa counts votes in pivotal election

South Africa voted in the most unpredictable election in the country's 30 years of democratic rule, ITV News Global Security Editor Rohit Kachroo reports

Polls have closed and South Africa is counting votes in an election billed as the country’s most important in 30 years.

The African National Congress has been in power since Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994 but support for the party has been chipped away by discontent on issues including unemployment and high crime rates. It is now projected the ANC will lose it's parliamentary majority for the first time.

But after casting his vote, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa remained defiant and said he had no doubt his ANC party would remain in government.

The ANC says it is confident of retaining its majority and analysts have not ruled that out, given the party's decades of experience in government and its unmatched grassroots campaigning machine. It still has wide support, especially among older voters and those in more rural areas.

Stephanie Sathege is among those who are frustrated with poor services and inequality. She's voted for the ANC since 1994, but today she told ITV News she broke her lifelong ties with the party: "It was difficult, but we want change. So I changed for ANC and voted for AFF."

After winning six successive national elections, several polls have the ANC’s support at less than 50% ahead of this one, an unprecedented drop. It might lose its majority in Parliament for the first time, although it’s widely expected to hold the most seats.

The ANC won 57.5% of the vote in the last national election in 2019, its worst result to date and down from a high of nearly 70% of the vote 20 years ago.

Ramaphosa, the leader of the ANC, has promised to “do better.” The ANC has asked for more time and patience.

The 71-year-old Ramaphosa sat alongside other voters in Soweto, where he was born, before shaking hands with two smiling officials who registered him and then voting.

“I have no doubt whatsoever in my heart of hearts that the people will once again invest confidence in the African National Congress to continue to lead this country,” Ramaphosa said. He said he was certain South Africans would give the ANC “a firm majority.”

The election was to be held on one day across South Africa’s nine provinces, with nearly 28 million people registered to vote at more than 23,000 polling stations.

Final results are expected by Sunday.

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