PRETORIA, (Reuters) – South Africa’s ruling ANC took a commanding lead in the early count of yesterday’s election although it could yet suffer a dent to the huge majority it has held since the end of apartheid in 1994.
With just 23,000 of a potential 23 million votes counted, the party that battled white minority rule for decades had 53.6 percent support.
The main opposition Democratic Alliance held 26 percent, but COPE, a new party formed by ANC dissidents late last year and touted as a potential challenge to 15 years of ANC dominance, tabled only 8.7 percent.
There is little doubt that the result, which will become clearer during today, will make 67-year-old ANC leader Jacob Zuma president of Africa’s biggest economy as it teeters on the brink of its first recession in 17 years.
Turnout was estimated at a huge 80 percent for what was the fourth election since the ANC, under Nelson Mandela, brought an end to white minority rule.
Despite its dominance since then, many South Africans are frustrated about corruption, poverty and crime — factors that might cause the party’s majority to drop below the two-thirds that give it the right to change the constitution at will.
“We are entering a post-liberation era. People are talking about new issues and challenges and there’s also a new generation that’s not attached to the liberation struggle,” said independent political analyst David Monyae.
From before dawn until past dusk, queues snaked outside polling stations across the country. Many centres ran out of ballot papers, and others had to allow people to vote beyond a 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) cut-off.
