Image: Gallo Images / Dino Lloyd
UPDATE
With nearly one out of every five votes counted (18.52%), the ANC is in the lead with 53.89%, trailed by the DA (27.14%), the EFF (7.83%), FF+ (3.52%) and the IFP (1.59%).
This is according to the IEC’s results website on Thursday morning, following election day on Wednesday.
The ANC has received 1,08 million votes, the DA 548,141 and the EFF 158,170.
In 2014, the ANC won 62.15% of the vote, the DA 22.23%, the EFF 6.35%, FF+ 0.9% and the IFP 2.4%.
Political analyst Daniel Silke tweeted: “Early trends show just as the the EFF is removing populists from the ANC, so is the FF+ taking conservatives out of the DA. And it’s not a bad thing for either party. Removing the extremes can cement the moderates - if played correctly.”
Silke said the increased FF+ vote is largely at the expense of the DA from its more rightist flank. "It may well be both land and race issues that play into this voting group," he added.
Provincially, he predicted that early trends showed the DA would manage to hang on to the Western Cape.
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