ANC up to 6.8 million votes nationally

The number of votes the ANC had garnered in the fifth national election had risen to just over 6.8 million late on Thursday afternoon.

The ruling party had 6,873,108 votes just before 5pm, giving it 62.56 percent of the total vote counted thus far.

The Democratic Alliance had so far captured 2,475,857 of the national vote, giving it 22.54 percent.

Newcomer the Economic Freedom Fighters, were in third spot with 571,572 votes, or 5.20 percent of the counted vote.

The total votes counted at the time were at 10,986,228.

The Inkatha Freedom Party had 271,439 (2.47 percent) of the national vote, while its break-away the National Freedom Party had 185,568 votes (1.69 percent). This was the first time the NFP was contesting elections nationally. It contested local government elections in 2011.

The United Democratic Movement on Thursday had captured 121,346 votes (1.10 percent), the Freedom Front Plus 102,497 (0.93 percent) and the Congress of the People 80,767 (0.74 percent).

A political party needs around 47,000 votes to secure a seat in the National Assembly.

By 5pm, Mamphela Ramphele's Agang SA had only 25,663 votes (0.23 percent).

Political party veterans such as the African Christian Democratic Party had 60,881 votes (0.55 percent), while the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania had 22,318 votes (0.20 percent).