ELECTION RESULTS LIVE: Titanic all night battle over Joburg and Tshwane continues into the morning

All the latest news, analysis and results from the 2016 local government elections as it happens.

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7.22am

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This fresh from our news-wire team: The ANC's Jackson Mthembu has said that the party has dropped its demand for a recount in Nelson Mandela Bay, making the DA victory official.

7.20am

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Let's get the whole seats vs proportional things straight because there's some confusion out there. In simple terms, parties get all the ward councillors that win their ward elections. These are then topped up with proportional representatives. This is not a fixed number.

Think of it like this: The proportional vote determines the level that your ward councillors will get topped up to.

So, if you win more wards than your opponent, you will still only get a total number of councillors that corresponds to your percentage in the proportional vote contest.

EXAMPLE:

Party 1: 30 councillors, 46% of the vote

Party 2: 30 councillors, 54% of the vote

Party 2 will end up with 54% of the councillors - the 30 councillors it won plus proportional councillors to take it up to 54%

Party 1 will end up with 46% of the councillors - the 30 councillors it won plus fewer proportional councillors to take its total up to 46% of the councillors.

This is why it is only useful to follow the percentage of the vote in PR when reporting on results.

There. Clear as mud.

7.10am

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An update with 93% of the voting districts reported.

NATIONAL with about 93% reported:

ANC: 54.2%

DA: 26.5%

EFF: 8%

GAUTENG:

ANC: 44.82%

DA: 38.84%

EFF: 10.93%

JOHANNESBURG with 70.4% reported:

ANC: 42%

DA: 41.7%

EFF: 10.7%

TSHWANE with 69.1% reported:

ANC: 42.2%

DA: 43.5%

EFF: 10.5%

NELSON MANDELA BAY with 98% reported:

ANC: 41.6%

DA: 46.6%

EFF: 5%

As the above stats show, the battle over Joburg and Tshwane remains too close to call.

7.10am

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The front page of our newspaper in Port Elizabeth after a night of drama in which the DA claimed victory in Nelson Mandela Bay. Athol Trollip claimed victory in an extraordinary speech in which he used isiXhosa to lambast the ANC for not accepting the result. Bantu Holomisa of the UDM has already confirmed that he has been approached about a coalition goverment for the city. Expect newspaper sales to be brisk.

2.15am

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The state of the election with 90% counted:

DA takes Nelson Mandela Bay, but Tshwane and Joburg still too close to call:

NATIONAL with 90% of the vote counted:

ANC:  54%

DA:  26%

EFF:  8%

IFP: 5%

NELSON MANDELA BAY with 98% of the vote counted and vetted:

DA:  46%

ANC:  41%

EFF:  5%

TSHWANE with 68% of the vote counted and vetted:

DA:  43%

ANC:  42%

EFF:  11%

JOBURG with 66% of the vote counted and vetted:

ANC:  42%

ANC:  41%

EFF:  11%

Most of the vote has been counted, but it is still slow going in the big Gauteng battlegrounds. It is now clear that the DA is the biggest party in Nelson Mandela Bay, but there is only one percentage point separating the DA and ANC in Joburg and Tshwane.

23:00

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The ANC is leading the national vote count‚ with more than 10 million votes‚ but the Democratic Alliance is also putting in a strong showing. At 10.33pm the ANC was leading with 53.63% which translates into 10 870 812 votes‚ 2 291 seats and 85 councils.

The DA follows with 27.41% which translates into 5 555 948 votes‚ 771 seats and 18 councils.

The EFF was in third place with 7.4% - 1 500 589 votes‚ 163 seats and 0 councils. In 2011 the ANC's support was 61.95% and the DA's was 23.94%. Compared to those figures‚ the ANC has dropped 8.32% and the DA has upped its game by 3.47%.

22:43

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ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe has told the Sunday Times that the ANC will withdraw the dispute over the Nelson Mandela Bay elections as it was 'not worth it'.

21:55

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The ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay has lodged a dispute with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) over alleged voting irregularities. The party's regional task team coordinator‚ Bheza Ntshona‚ said it had raised concerns about a "systematic attempt to manipulate the outcome of the votes".

Earlier the IEC said that the ballot papers found "dumped" in a tent outside the Electoral Commission results centre in Nelson Mandela Bay had already been captured.

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

21:30

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The ANC looks to retain all of the councils in the Free State. After 9pm‚ the ruling party enjoyed the lion's share of 62.2% of the votes in the province‚ followed by the DA with 19.86% and EFF at 9.7%.

The ruling party was also able to retain the only metro in the province – Mangaung. In the metro‚ the ANC had 57.66%‚ the DA 24.32% and the EFF 9.08%‚ with about 92% of the votes counted.

21:10

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UDM leader Bantu Holomisa told eNCA that DA leader Mmusi Maimane had contacted him to discuss a possible coalition in Nelson Mandela Bay, but he told him that the party would wait and see what the final results were before they made a decision.

Earlier the EFF's Floyd Shivambu said the party was also considering coalition options, but like the DA, completely dismissed any plans to partner with the ANC:

20:50

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It's starting to look like Jackson Mthembu may have to eat his words about an ANC victory in Nelson Mandela Bay - earlier today he was certainly confident his party would win the metro:

19:55

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The ANC's national chairperson – and the speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete reserved her comment on what the current election results mean for the ANC, but says the party has put up a good fight: 
 

18.22pm
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The DA's Mmusi Maimane has announced that the DA will be the largest party in Nelson Mandela Bay and will speak to opposition parties about forming a coalition.

He ruled out partnering with the ANC, saying: "We've run this election on the basis of change so I'm speaking to other opposition parties."

He added: "It's quite exciting for us. This gives us a great opportunity to set up a government there."​

• READ MORE:

17.15pm

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Well, it was inevitable. The EFF's Floyd Shivambu has refused to talk to a 'Gupta journalist' from the ANN7 channel, marring an otherwise collegiate atmosphere which has ruled the election results.

• READ MORE:

17.10pm

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The state of the election with 80% of the vote counted and vetted:

NATIONAL:

ANC:  54%

DA:  27%

EFF:  7%

IFP: 5%

NELSON MANDELA BAY with 85% of the vote counted and vetted:

DA:  49%

ANC:  39%

EFF:  5%

TSHWANE with 50% of the vote counted and vetted:

DA:  43%

ANC:  43%

EFF:  10.5%

JOBURG with 40% of the vote counted and vetted:

DA:  42%

ANC:  42%

EFF:  10%

The DA and the ANC have essentially the same number of votes in the hotly contested Joburg and Tshwane metros. The DA has some blue water (haha) between it and the ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay, but has dipped below 50%. Nationally, the ANC is dominant with 54%. the DA has exactly half that total with 27%. The EFF is yet to show a great leap forward and is stuck on 7%.

17.00pm

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Meanwhile in the Free State, the ANC is emerging as the dominant party in all municipalities with 92% of the vote counted. It has an outright majority except for in Metsimaholo, where only 66% of the votes have been counted. This region is adjacent to Gauteng.

16.55pm

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Our colleagues at the Herald in Nelson Mandela Bay are reporting that signed ballot papers have been found in a tent outside an IEC center. Police are on their way to investigate.  The IEC's Crosby Bacela said the papers were being 'stored'.

16.30pm

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Remember Des van Rooyen? The man who was finance minister for a crazy weekend in December?

Well, he is now local government minister and has had quite a bit to say about the election. He has expressed his happiness with the vote in Vuwani where the turnout was low, saying: “The reality of the matter is that the area has 36 wards and all 36 wards‚ to your surprise‚ are legitimately constituted now. There are representatives for those 36 wards‚ that's democracy.

"Our undertaking‚ which we delivered on‚ was the creation of a peaceful and secure environment for elections to take place in that area like any other area in South Africa.”

16.25pm

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The DA is hanging onto its lead in Nelson Mandela Bay with 83% of the result counted and vetted by the IEC. It has 49% of the vote to the ANC's 39% with the EFF still hovering around the 5% mark. The DA surged over 50% briefly before falling back after the latest numbers were released.

15.54pm

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It couldn't get any closer. With 48% of the vote counted in Tshwane, the DA and the ANC both have exactly 42.96% of the vote. The EFF has moved up to 10.5% of the vote. It looks like the numbers are starting to sway in the direction of the ANC.

15.54pm

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And BOOM, the IEC has dumped the eThekwini result on us. With 42% of the vote counted and vetted, the ANC has the most votes with 48% to the DA's 42%. The EFF is running third with 3% alongside the IFP. It's early days, as today's tired old saying goes, but the ANC does seem to be some way off its 2011 result of 61%.

15.40pm

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Mmusi Maimane has spoken to our staff about the DA's gains and warned that the election result might not be accepted by all.  Watch the interview:

15.20pm

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Something odd is going down in eThekwini. It is still the only metro, ward or municipality in the whole country where NOT A SINGLE VOTE tally has been announced.

The opposition are starting to work up a sweat. This is what DA mayoral candidate, Haniff Hoosen had to say to our reporter Nivashni Nair:  "We asked for a meeting at 3pm because we need to get proper answers. First we were told that there was a computer glitch and then that they were verifying the results and now we hear that there were ballot boxes found in different locations. We need to put this to them and get answers."

This is decidedly odd. The IEC needs to give the voters of eThekwini some answers.

15.00pm

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The state of the election with 70% of the vote counted and vetted:

NATIONAL:

ANC: 54%

DA: 27%

EFF: 7.5%

IFP: 5%

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

NELSON MANDELA BAY with 79% of the vote counted and vetted:

DA: 50.6%

ANC: 38.5%

EFF: 5%

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

TSHWANE with 47% of the vote counted and vetted:

DA: 43%

ANC: 42%

EFF: 10%

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

JOBURG with 34% of the vote counted and vetted:

DA: 43%

ANC: 41%

EFF: 10%

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

In short, the whole thing is very tense. The DA has slipped below 50% and then clawed its way back over again in Nelson Mandela Bay where 21% of the votes are yet to be announced. It's really tight in Tshwane and Joburg with the DA marginally ahead but many votes to come.

14.38pm

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The ANC has emerged as the largest party in the Northern Cape with 100% of the vote counted. But there may be a bit of horse trading as the party has failed to win a clear majority in several areas including Ubuntu (42%), Kareeberg (46%), Hantam (49%), Nama Khoi (47%), Kgatelopele (43%), and Gamagara (49%).

14.30pm

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The amorphous markets appear to be enjoying the election outcome so far. The rand has strengthened to R13.73 to the US$ and to a shade over R18 to the pound. The stock market is up a little with financial stocks leading the charge.

14.18pm

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The DA has pulled ahead in Umfuleni with 42% to the ANC's 40% with the EFF at a handy 9% of the vote. This is with 40% of the vote counted and vetted by the IEC.

14.15pm

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Just got a sneak peak at a video from our multimedia team. In it the DA's James Selfe says he expects Nelson Mandela Bay to be governed by a coalition. Since the EFF is the only other party with votes (around 5%) at present, this could be the beginning of talks between the DA and the EFF.

13.30pm

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Was I over-hasty in making that half-call on Nelson Mandela Bay earlier? With a surge of counted and vetted votes to 77%, the ANC appears to be staging a dramatic comeback and now has 39% of the vote. The DA has ducked below 50% and now has 49.5% of the vote. The EFF now has around 5%. This is getting very tight. Could the ANC be about to overturn the DA's applecart?

13.30pm

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Every good election analysis must have a good metaphor, so here goes. This election can best be described as a hamburger.

Think three layers: bottom roll, the meat and top roll and you’ve got it.

What I’m trying to say is that South Africa’s electoral map looks increasingly like the three-layered American delicacy.

At the bottom is the DA roll extending from Cape Town across the map to Nelson Mandela Bay.

In the middle - the Northern Cape, Free State and the north of the Eastern Cape as well as southern KwaZulu-Natal - is the patty which is the ANC. It is the meat in the sandwich with by far the most votes and municipalities under its control,

Then there is some opposition garnish in the form of the DA and EFF in Gauteng and the IFP in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

On top of that is another roll which contains ever more of the EFF.

There you have it.

It would be tempting to give this burger ethnic characteristics, but this is now more difficult than ever.

The ANC has support amongst most of the traditional ethnic groups. The DA can finally claim to have moved away from the ‘white and coloured’ category and then there is the EFF which appears to have support among a range of language-speakers.

Perhaps only the IFP and FF+ are truly ethnic in their orientation and it is significant that they do not enjoy major support.

12.42pm

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With exactly two thirds of the votes tallied, the DA is in firm control in Nelson Mandela Bay with 52% of the vote. The ANC has 38% and the EFF a shade over 4%. The ANC would have to win way more than half of the outstanding votes to catch the DA. Even if there is a tremendous comeback, it is looking increasingly likely that the DA will take the city or at least emerge as the largest party. Watch this space.

12.18pm

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The DA has held Midvaal with an improved majority with all votes counted and vetted by the IEC. The party won with 60% to the ANC's 32%. The EFF came in with 5%.

The result shows a precipitous fall in the ANC's support from 41% in 2011.  It lost votes to the EFF and the DA which improved on its 2011 performance of 56%

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

12.18pm

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Is it just me or are the results for eThekwini taking a horribly long time to materialise? It is now well after noon and NOT A SINGLE polling station's results have been finalised or released by the IEC. This is the only voting district in the country where no result has been filed.

KwaZulu-Natal electoral spokesman Thabani Ngwira said on Thursday there were "no problems" with the Durban results‚ even though none appeared on the Independent Electoral Commission’s website.

"The reason why it has not been released is because we are still capturing it. We have captured 46% of the results. Durban is a bigger area but there are no problems at all‚" he said.

And the DA's mayoral candidate, Haniff Hoosen, said he was not concerned at all. “Durban always takes a little more time. There is no reason for us to be concerned.” 

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

12.08pm

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Meanwhile in Nkandla, the region that rose to prominence because of a certain dwelling for a certain person which cost a certain amount of money, the ANC seems to be taking a beating. The IFP is surging ahead with 67% of the vote counted and has 56% of the vote. The ANC is at 42%.

A possible scenario is that the Tshwane, Cape Town and Nkandla homes of the president may all soon be in opposition hands.

12.08pm

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The state of the election at noon:

58% of the votes have been counted and vetted by the IEC. The national position is:

ANC: 53%

DA: 29%

EFF: 7%

IFP: 5%

NELSON MANDELA BAY with 65% of the vote counted:

DA: 52%

ANC: 37%

EFF: 4%

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

TSHWANE with 42% of the vote counted:

DA: 45%

ANC: 41%

EFF: 10%

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

JOBURG with 28% of the vote counted:

DA: 43%

ANC: 41%

EFF: 10%

How did your ward/city vote? Track the results in real time on our election web app

11.55am

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TimesLIVE is quoting Gwede Mantashe as saying on Talk Radio 702: "Black people don't appreciate the value of voting." But Mantashe remained confident of the ANC's share of the vote, saying he was “comfortable with the early lead because it’s the most organised areas that send results early; particularly the metros and townships results come very late”.

11.45am

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Helen Zille has been tweeting that the DA took Cederberg and Matzikama in the Western Cape from the ANC. Agree on Cederberg, but the IEC thinks the DA was already the largest party in Matzikama in 2011.

Another major win: DA takes Matzikama from the ANC. Well done Blue People.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) August 4, 2016

11.35am

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It's early days, but Julius Malema may well decide who rules in Joburg. Just 26% of the vote has been counted and vetted by the IEC, so this is by no means a final call. But the EFF has held on to close to 10% of the vote through the morning's counting. If this continues to the be the case, and the DA and ANC continue to fail to cross the 50% barrier (DA on 44% and ANC 41 right now), then the EFF's 10% will make the difference between winning and losing. Will the avowedly free-market Herman Mashaba be able to make peace with the riotous leftism of the EFF? Brace yourself for a little chaos.

11.20am

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Always interesting: these two maps clearly illustrate the north-south divide in South African politics.

11.15am

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And it's official with 100% of the vote counted. The ANC has lost the Beaufort West municipality to the DA. The DA ended up with 49% of the vote to the ANC's 42%. Last time around, the ANC got 50% and the DA 41%.

11.07am

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A wrap of the big match as the second half gets under way:

Nationally, 56% of the votes have been counted. The standings:

ANC: 52%

DA: 29%

EFF: 7%

IFP: 4.5%

In Nelson Mandela Bay, 60% of the vote has been counted and this is how it breaks down:

DA: 54%

ANC: 36%

EFF: 4%

In Tshwane, 40% of the vote has been counted and the standings are:

DA: 46%

ANC: 41%

EFF: 10%

In Joburg, where counting is moving at a snail's pace:

DA: 44%

ANC: 40%

EFF: 10%

10.57am

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The EFF appears to have taken a giant bite out of the ANC in Polokwane with 24% of the vote counted. The ANC has a healthy 65%, but it scored 79% in the previous election. It is early days, but the EFF's 28% is not bad off a standing start (they did not contest in 2011).

Track the results in real time on our election web app

EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee told TMG Digital at the IEC operations centre in Tshwane that the party was optimistic that results would change as counting in larger municipalities continued:

10.54am

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While all the focus has been on the battle for Tshwane and Joburg in Gauteng, Ekurhuleni has been simmering in the background. It looks like a tight race BUT only 42% of the vote has been counted. The ANC is holding on with 45% to the DA's 42%. The EFF with almost 9% could be the party to decide who rules in this important economic zone.

Track the results in real time on our election web app

10.40am

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Helen Zille is taking a very upbeat view of the ding-dong battle over the Western Cape interior, saying: "There has been a huge swing to the DA‚ and so much for the people who keep saying every election that we've reached our ceiling‚ so I am very pleased with the result‚” she said.

"I am delighted with Kouga‚ we've taken Agulhas and it looks as if we will take many other ANC municipalities in the Western Cape too. And we have increased our majority in Midvaal."

Track the results in realtime on our election web app

10.35am

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But wait, there's more! The DA has fought back to become the largest party in the Beaufort West municipality. With 96% of the vote counted, the DA has 49% to the ANC's 42%.

10.35am

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More good news for the ANC. It has ousted the DA as the largest party in Laingsburg. The ANC recorded 46% of the vote to the DA's 44% with 100% counted. In 2011, the ANC got 38% and was beaten by the DA with 41%.

10.00am

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Some good news for the ANC at last. The party has snatched the lead in the Hessequa municipality from the DA, emerging as the largest party with 46% to the DA's 42%. The DA was the largest party with 47% in 2011 when the ANC got 40%.

9.48am

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Results from Buffalo City (East London) are still in the early phase with just 30% counted, but they are interesting for now.

The ANC has 51% of the vote to the DA's 36%. Cope seems to have been all but wiped out by the EFF, which comes in third with a shade over 6%. This could all change as there are several big areas to come. But it seems unlikely that the ANC will keep its 70% of the vote from 2011.

Track the results in realtime on our election web app

9.35am

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The result for Joburg (see entry below) has been static for almost three hours now, which is odd, since the vast majority of its voting districts finished their business well on time. Mmmmm....

Follow all the #LGE2016 news and results LIVE in one place on your phone https://t.co/QimvYr2pW1#ElectionDaypic.twitter.com/JJRHt9pdiL

— Times LIVE (@TimesLIVE) August 3, 2016

9.15am

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And here are the official NATIONAL standings with 50% of the national vote counted across the country:

ANC: 52%

DA: 30%

EFF: 7%

IFP: 4%

COPE: 0.5%

UDM: 0.6%

DA Mmusi Maimane leader says he expects a 'positive' result from these elections:

In the KEY BATTLEGROUNDS, things are hotting up:

NELSON MANDELA BAY:

DA: 59%

ANC: 35%

EFF: 4%

Just over 42% of the vote has been counted in this metro.

• READ MORE:

TSHWANE:

ANC: 40%

DA: 48%

EFF: 9%

Some 34% of the vote has been counted in this metro.

• READ MORE:  

JOBURG:

ANC: 40%

DA: 44%

EFF: 10%

Only 21% of the vote has been counted in this metro

9.05am

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The DA's surge into the interior from its Western Cape redoubt appears to have hit a brick wall in the Northern Cape. With 95% of the vote counted, the ANC appears to hold the whip in all the province's municipalities with the EFF coming in at an impressive 9%. The DA sits at 25%, up marginally from its 22% in the 2011 election.

9.00am

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A wrap of the action so far:

Nationally, the ANC is holding steady at around 52% with the DA at 31% and the EFF at 7%. This after 47% of the vote has been counted.

This is how things stand in the hotly contested metros:

TSHWANE: The DA is in the lead with 48% to the ANC's 39% with 32% of the vote counted

JOBURG: The DA has 45% of the vote to the ANC's 40%, but just 20% of the vote has been counted.

NELSON MANDELA BAY: The DA has 56% of the vote to the ANC's 35% with 40% of the vote counted.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the IFP appears to be surging with 29% of the vote. But this could be deceptive as the ANC-dominated eThekwini metro where no result has been posted at all to the alarm of observers. Only 36% of the vote has been counted. In 2011, the IFP got only 15% of the local vote in the province.

In the Eastern Cape, the DA has taken the Kouga municipality from the ANC. Since it is adjacent to Nelson Mandela Bay, this may be an indicator that there is a sea-change underway.

• READ MORE:

8.25am

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There's a corner of South Africa where the major political parties have been shunned in favour of independents. In Kannaland in the Western Cape, the candidates belonging to ICOSA have 48% of the vote to the DA's 27.5% and the ANC's 21.5%. In the last election the independents were the biggest party with 41% of the vote.

8.15am

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The EFF is set to take over from the DA as the second biggest party in the Limpopo province. The party did not contest the 2011 local government election, but now has 16% of the vote to the DA's 12.5%. The ANC remains dominant in the province with 65%. But only 29% of the vote has been counted.

Watch EFF leader Julius Malema talking about his party's 'good fight' in the lead-up to the elections:

8.05am

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In the hotly contested Gauteng region, where 30% of the votes have been counted, the ANC has 44% of the vote to the DA's 42%. But, with 70% of the vote to come, this picture could change.

The only contest safe to call is the Midvaal metro where the DA has 59% with 94% of the vote counted.

This is how it breaks down in the major metros:

TSHWANE: DA 48%, ANC 39% with 29% of the vote counted

JOBURG: DA 44%, ANC 41% with just 19% of the vote counted

EKURHULENI: DA 45%, ANC 42% with 33% of the vote counted

MOGALE CITY: ANC 47%, DA 36% with 29% of the vote counted

MIDVAAL: DA 59%, ANC 32% with 94% of the vote counted

8.03am

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With 44% of the vote counted around the country, the national picture is as follows:

ANC: 52%

DA: 31%

EFF: 7%

7.20am

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The ANC has hung onto the Kou-Kamma by its fingernails. With 100% of the votes counted, the IEC has the final result as follows:

ANC: 51% (57% in 2011)

DA: 44% (42% in 2011)

EFF: 2%

7.20am

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A quick wrap for those have just joined us:

Just after 7am, with 39% of the vote counted around the country, the ANC was ahead with 51% to the DA's 32%. The EFF had 6.6% of the vote.

In the highly contested Nelson Mandela Bay metro, the DA and ANC had have won two seats. An IEC official said that about 90% of the votes in the region had been counted and about 30% had been audited and captured.

The DA was ahead in the other highly contested metros. In Joburg, where 18% of the vote had been tallied, the DA had 44% to the ANC's 40% and the EFF's 10%.

In Tshwane, the DA was ahead with 48% of the vote to the ANC's 39% with 25% of the vote counted.

The DA has meanwhile claimed its first municipality in the Eastern Cape with victory in Kouga where all votes have been counted.  

This is a significant 'bellwether' result for the Eastern Cape and could suggest a similar swing in neighbouring Nelson Mandela Bay.

The IEC recorded the result as follows:

DA: 57% (48% in 2011)

ANC: 40% (49%) in 2011)

This has not been a good election for Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim, whose United Front has been hammered hard in Nelson Mandela Bay. Jim said he was confident his party would win 10 wards (it is contesting 43), but it has none to its name so far and has just 0.41% of the vote.

The IFP appears set to recapture lost ground from the NFP, which is only contesting one municipality. With 50% of votes counted for the Nquthu Local Municipality, the IFP had 45% of the vote, followed by the ANC with 41% and the NFP with only 8%.

Ethekwini remains a strange electoral black hole - the only major metro where NO votes have yet been declared for any voting district. This seems odd when contrasted with the steady progress in counting in all other metros.

7.05am

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A national wrap with 39% of the vote in:

ANC: 51.1%

DA: 31.6%

EFF: 6.6%

6.50am

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The DA and ANC have won two seats apiece in Nelson Mandela Bay. An IEC official said that about 90% of the votes in the region had been counted and about 30% had been audited and captured.

6.21am

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The DA seems to have claimed the Kouga municipality with the IEC saying that 100% of the votes have been counted. This is a significant 'bell-weather' result for the Eastern Cape and could suggest a similar swing in neighbouring Nelson Mandela Bay.

The IEC records the result as follows:

DA: 57% (48% in 2011)

ANC: 40% (49%) in 2011)

6.12am

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With less than a third of the votes tallied, the DA has moved into the lead in all three battlegrounds.

A quick summary:

TSHWANE: Counting is 21% complete and the DA has 49% to the ANC's 39%. The EFF is close to 8%.

JOBURG: With 18% counted, the DA has 46% to the ANC's 39%. The EFF has accumulated almost 10% of the vote

NELSON MANDELA BAY: With 28% counted, the DA has 56% of the vote to the ANC's 34% and the EFF's 4%

6.07am

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Early success has come for the DA in Swellendam where it has replaced the ANC as the largest party. In 2011, the ANC won 42% of the votes to the DA's 41% in a nail-biter. This time around, the DA won with 48% to the ANC's 45% with the ACDP (6% in 2011), the biggest loser coming in with under one percent of the vote.

5.50am

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This has not been a good election for Numsa general secretary, Irvin Jim, whose United Front has been hammered hard in Nelson Mandela Bay. Jim said he was confident his party would win 10 wards (it is contesting 43), but it has not to its name so far and has just 0.41% of the vote.

5.42am

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The IFP appears set to recapture lost ground from the NFP, which is only contesting one municipality. With 50% of votes counted for the Nquthu Local Municipality, the IFP had 45% of the vote, followed by the ANC with 41% and the NFP with only 8%.

There are early indications that the IFP might also be winning back some ground from the ANC in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

5.25am

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Ethekwini remains a strange electoral black hole - the only major metro where NO votes have yet been declared for any voting district. This seems odd when contrasted with the steady progress in counting in all other metros.

5.15am

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The DA seems set to hammer the ANC in Cape Town if the early results are to be believed. With around 140,000 votes counted, the DA has 74% of the vote to the ANC's 17%. The EFF has 3% of the vote.

5.05am

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A look at the national picture: With 29% of the vote counted, the ANC has 50% of the vote, the DA 33% and the EFF 6%. Again, the 'early days' disclaimer applies.

4.58am

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The ANC has taken the early lead, winning six of the eight municipalities officially declared so far. In the Northern Cape‚ the ANC won Thembelihle‚ Kamiesberg and !Kheis municipalities. In the Eastern Cape the ANC won the Blue Crane Route and Sundays River Valley municipalities.

In Mpumalanga the ANC was victorious in Victor Khanye.

The DA won the Bergrivier and Swellendam municipalities in the Western Cape.

4.45am

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Good morning. Although it's early days and these results are subject to change, let's kick off with a quick look at what happened overnight in the three key battlegrounds:

NELSON MANDELA BAY: The DA has 55% to the ANC's 34%

TSHWANE: The ANC has 45% to the DA's 42%

JOBURG: The DA has 43% to the ANC's 35%

It's really early days and it is likely, if you follow logic, that results for areas with less developed infrastructure, which favour the ANC, are likely to come in later.