ANC set to win in S Africa polls but with reduced mandate

South Africa's ruling ANC today looked set to win a fifth consecutive term but with a significantly reduced margin after around a third of the votes had been counted in the landmark general election, the first since the death of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.
The African National Congress was leading with 63 per cent of the counted votes, while the opposition Democratic Alliance had won 22 per cent. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party had won 4.8 per cent of the votes and the Inkatha Freedom Party bagged 2.3 per cent votes.
An ANC win will give Jacob Zuma his second term as President, despite huge controversies including claims of corruption during his first tenure.

Analysts said the ANC would have a significantly reduced majority from the 66 per cent it won in the last elections in 2009.
The EFF was launched last year by Julius Malema, former ANC Youth League leader, after he was expelled from the party for outspoken comments about nationalisation of assets and other rhetoric not in line with the party policy.
The only other parties from the 29 contesting the polls that had gained sufficient votes for a seat in the Parliament were the National Freedom Party and the United Democratic Movement.

Parties have to get more than one per cent of the ballot in the proportional representation system in which voters choose parties, which in turn send members to Parliament.

Final results are expected by Saturday as counting continues, but the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said counting was progressing well and the results could come soon.
The electoral commission said voting passed off peacefully in most areas, with turnout of just over 72 per cent. A record 25 million voters were eligible to vote in the elections.
Dissatisfaction with the government has been growing over high levels of unemployment, a lack of basic services and allegations of widespread corruption.
The two major opposition parties are doing well with the Democratic Alliance (DA) increasing its share of the vote from 17 per cent in the last election to 24 per cent, according to initial results.

The DA has been trying to make inroads into the black electorate - its support is mainly concentrated in the Western Cape which has a large white and mixed-race population.
Those born after the end of apartheid in 1994 were able to cast their ballots for the first time, although only a third of those entitled to do so had registered to vote.