Update | 2 June, 6am:
With 23 266 of the 23 292 voting districts’ counting completed, the final results are yet to be announced.
The three leading parties of the national election are still the ANC with 40.20% votes, the DA with 21.79% votes and the MK party with 14.59% votes.
Update | 1 June, 9pm:
The Democratic Alliance will remain in control of the Western Cape, having secured over 50 percent of the votes despite ongoing disputes.
In contrast, Gauteng will see no single party achieving a majority, necessitating the formation of coalitions. However, the current coalition-led metros in the province are all experiencing difficulties.
Update | 1 June, 4pm:
The IEC has announced that it approved the condonation request, thereby extending the deadline for objections and appeals submissions to 6pm this evening.
This comes after political parties lodged objections against the IEC just after the initial deadline for appeals at 9pm Friday evening.
Update | 1 June, 6am:
Several political parties have filed objections to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in the Western Cape.
According to the document, the parties noted ‘numerous inconsistencies’ that have not been responded to.
[SEE] Several political parties have lodged an urgent objection with the IEC in the Western Cape. @News24 pic.twitter.com/IG6KPr8qre
— Marvin Charles (@MarvinCharles_) May 31, 2024
Ace Magashule, the leader of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) and former ANC secretary general, said he believed that votes may have been rigged.
On Friday evening, Magashule confirmed to Eyewitness News that his party also lodged an objection with the IEC over alleged tampering with ballot boxes.
While his newly registered party made regional and provincial ballots, it did not meet the requirements to run for National Assembly.
In a pre-election statement, his party already questioned a number of issues:
Results update
As of 6am, the ANC’s national support had dropped to 40.20%, the DA’s total amounted to 21.71% and the MK party garnered 14.76%.
Update: 31 May 5pm
The 2024 general elections is shaping up to be a crucial turning point in South African politics. Early forecasts indicate that ANC support has declined in all provinces, and the party is on track to lose its outright majority for the first time since 1994, dropping to 41.7% of the vote, a significant 16-point decrease.
The DA holds the majority of votes in the Western Cape, while Jacob Zuma’s MK Party dominates KZN.
According to the official results from the IEC, the latest numbers point to the ANC receiving 41.7% of the vote nationally, the DA receiving 22.44%, and MKP 12.38%, surpassing the EFF, who currently holds 9.47% of the national votes.
Currently, 71.3% of the votes nationwide have been counted, and attention is likely to shift to coalition discussions.
Update:
With 39.99% of votes counted, the country waits in anticipation as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) conducts its results process, set to continue well into the weekend.
By 10:30pm, provincially, 56.36% of votes have been counted. The Democratic Alliance (DA) stands firm at the forefront with 54.93% of the Western Cape’s support, while the African National Congress (ANC) retains second place with 19.30% followed by the Patriotic Alliance (PA) with 9.41% and the Economic Freedom Fighters with 4.75%.
On a national level, the ANC continues its lead with 42.54% of the country’s support, while the DA holds the second position with 23.97% followed by uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) with 9.83% and EFF with 9.37%.
At 8pm, the IEC held a media briefing update:
At the time of the briefing, 55.64% of votes were captured and in the system.
Meanwhile, IEC General Manager Granville Abrahams confirmed that a ballot box from a voting station in uMhlathuze, KwaZulu-Natal went missing while in transit to the municipal electoral office for storage.
The votes have been counted and captured but the IEC is required, by law, to store ballots for six months.
The electoral commission appealed to citizens in and around the area to be on the lookout for the ballot box:
The Electoral Commission appeals to citizens in and around Ward 14 uMhlathuze, in KwaZulu-Natal, to be on the lookout for an IEC branded ballot box that went missing in transit from the voting station Matamzana Dube School in VD 43412767, KZN282, uMhlathuze, to the municipal… pic.twitter.com/lTA8FXpDaB
— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) May 30, 2024
Picture: Misha Jordaan / Gallo Images
From the early hours of Thursday morning, the first batch of votes commenced their journey through the counting process, marking the culmination of a day filled with fervent participation from South Africans nationwide.
Also read: Western Cape election count progresses despite some delays
In the Western Cape, the Democratic Alliance stands firm at the forefront of the political landscape, showing resilience in their bid to maintain control of the province, albeit with a slight dip in their majority.
Presently, the DA commands 49.27% of the Western Cape’s support, a decrease from their 2019 election performance, where they secured 55.45% of the provincial votes. In contrast, the African National Congress (ANC) finds itself grappling with a diminished share, currently holding 19.93% compared to 28.63% in the previous election.
Notably, the Patriotic Alliance, led by the charismatic Gayton McKenzie, emerges as a formidable contender, making an impressive debut with 13.04% support within the Western Cape.
As the nation eagerly awaits the final tally, the process of counting votes is expected to extend into the weekend, adding to the anticipation surrounding what is undoubtedly one of the most significant electoral events since the dawn of democracy in South Africa.
Also read:
Voters outraged over disarray at Blouberg and Parklands polling stations
Picture: Democratic Alliance / Facebook