Ballot counting is underway after South Africans queued long into the night to vote in a watershed election, reports eNCA.
The election is reportedly the most fiercely contested since the end of apartheid in 1994. More than 27 million people registered to cast their ballots in the polls highlighting growing political fragmentation after 30 years of democracy.
Counting started in each voting station shortly after the polls closed. In some cities, the counting began long after the planned 9 pm shutdown, with long queues of voters extending into the night.
A total of 70 political parties and 11 independent candidates participated in the election, as South Africans voted for a new parliament and nine provincial legislatures. According to statistics released by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), over 27 million people were registered to vote, with women comprising 55% of the electorate.
Join our WhatsApp Channel for more news
The final result is not expected to be known before the weekend.
