25 April 2009

The African National Congress (ANC) has reached more than 10-million votes, according to the latest results released at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) centre in Pretoria.

Applause rang out at the centre as the party leading the race notched up 10 074 911 votes on Friday afternoon.

The ANC had secured 66,59% of the vote, according to data interpreted by the IEC.

A total of 15 339 164 votes had been counted from Wednesday's elections for which a record 23 181 997 voters had registered. The completed votes tally crept towards the three-quarter mark as the afternoon wore on.

The Democratic Alliance's (DA) status as the official opposition remained safe with 2 406 638 votes (15,91%). The Congress of the People (Cope) was a distant third with 1 136,256 votes (7,51%).

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) was fourth with 672 648 votes (4,45%), followed by the Independent Democrats (ID) with 137 455 votes (0,91%).

Nipping at its heel for sixth position was the Freedom Front Plus with 132 546 votes (0,88%).

The total number of votes cast was not yet known, but the IEC estimated voter turn-out to be about 77%.

Earlier, leaders of smaller parties like the IFP and FF+ indicated coalitions might be a way to beef up their standing in the legislature, with ID leader Patricia de Lille alluding to some form of merger.

No objections
Meanwhile, just before 1pm on Friday, no objections to national and provincial elections had been received by political parties, an excited IEC chairperson Brigalia Bam said in Pretoria.

"The good news is that we aren't getting objections by parties. It's a miracle," said Bam, rubbing her hands with glee.

"So far so good."

Bam said legal objections or complaints were dealt with by the Electoral Court. Parties had until midnight to lay objections.

She again reiterated her delight at the number of voters, especially the unprecedented number of youth who had turned out en masse to vote for the first time.

"In this case we are excited."

She said the vibrancy and enthusiasm of these elections echoed that of 1994.

While she acknowledged the long queues, Bam was hopeful people had managed to retain their high spirits.

"I hope people weren't standing in line looking miserable. We hope they were standing in line looking forward to it."

She said the fact that so many voters had turned out to vote meant the new administration would be accountable to more people.

"Elections are a foundation, but it is an important one. Every country has the right to have a government that is accountable to its citizens. For democracy I think we have a future."

She said, however, that political parties would not find their jobs easy as many were small and did not have as many resources. -- Sapa