ELECTION RESULTS DAY 1 WRAP | Ballot box in uMhlatuze goes missing while in transit to local IEC office

May 30 2024 - 22:15

Ballot box in uMhlatuze goes missing while in transit to local IEC office

The Electoral Commission on Thursday said it lost a ballot box which went missing while in transit from a voting station in uMhlathuze, to the municipal electoral office for storage. 

May 30 2024 - 21:36

It’s sinking in — ANC top brass accept 50% beyond reach

ANC leaders, by late Thursday night, appeared to have all but accepted that they will dip below 50% support for the first time in a national election.

May 30 2024 - 21:19

LISTEN | We remain optimistic, says Nomvula Mokonyane as 34.49% results are captured

ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane says they remain hopeful for an outright majority.

May 30 2024 - 20:12

WATCH | IEC briefs media on progress

The Electoral Commission (IEC) held a media briefing on Thursday to provide updates on the progress made in preparing for the upcoming elections.

May 30 2024 - 20:08

Vote capturing continuing smoothly in the Western Cape, says IEC

Vote capturing was running smoothly in the Western Cape, with 35% of the voting districts completed by 3pm on Thursday.

May 30 2024 - 19:04

Despite frustrating delays, youth declare: '2024 is our 1994!'

Some voters in Polokwane have voiced their frustration and disappointment after enduring long hours of waiting because of persistent system failures at some polling stations.

May 30 2024 - 18:27

MK Party has punished ANC and IFP: Mantashe on early election results

ANC national chair Gwede Mantashe says the governing party has no intention of legally challenging election results as it monitors the “biggest surprise” of the MK Party leading early in the vote count in KwaZulu-Natal.

May 30 2024 - 16:27

WATCH LIVE | IEC briefing

The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) updates the media on the progress made in tallying votes so far.

May 30 2024 - 15:01

WATCH | No MKP coalition with ANC or DA: Duduzile Zuma

The MK Party’s Duduzile Zuma says there is no possibility of a coalition between her party and the ANC or DA.

May 30 2024 - 14:47

Party leaders unmoved by early election results, say no cause for panic yet

Political parties are unmoved by early results that by 1pm had just surpassed the 2-million mark, or just less than 20% of votes, showing the ANC below 50% of the national ballot.

The early results were mostly from provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape. Just before 2pm, they placed the ANC at 43%, DA at 24%, with the EFF and MK Party both at 8%.

May 30 2024 - 14:42

WATCH | MK Party confident of Eastern Cape upset

New kids on the block the MK Party are confident that by the close of counting they will be the top party in the Eastern Cape.

Provincial elections head Andiswa Nika, speaking on the sidelines at the Electoral Commission of South Africa's results operations centre in East London on Wednesday, said the party’s performance was impressive.

May 30 2024 - 14:40

‘They did not pay me’: NomaRally on choosing to vote for ActionSA

When KwaZulu-Natal's “rally queen” Thembeka Dliwako rubbed shoulders with leaders of different political parties in pursuit of a political home, she not only listened to their manifestos but observed their characteristics. 

Dliwako, dubbed “NomaRally”, topped social media charts earlier this year when she attended the manifesto launch of major parties dressed in their colours.

After months of her unconventional political manifesto review strategy in which she managed to make some money from hosting campaigns, she announced ActionSA as her political home on Wednesday.

May 30 2024 - 14:06

EDITORIAL | Despite glitches our democracy won

We must be proud that South Africans, old and young, rich and poor, exercised their right to choose their “representatives of the people” in their numbers on Wednesday.

We must be happy that despite the numerous challenges that caused delays in voting, many were steadfast in their determination, choosing to endure the elements late into the night so they could cast their votes.

It was, in a way, a sign that our democracy is maturing. It was a sign that most who have a right to vote were not wallowing in their woes or, with indignation, throwing their hands in the air. They insisted on being heard. That is what democracy is about. Every vote does indeed count.

May 30 2024 - 14:04

LISTEN | Mantashe blames tribalism for strong MK Party showing in KZN

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe blames tribalism for the MK Party's performance so far in the elections, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal.

Former president Jacob Zuma's party is performing strongly in the province with 42.3% of the vote vs 20.1% for the ANC so far.

Speaking to media at the results operating centre in Midrand on Thursday, Mantashe said he was not surprised by the MK Party's results in KwaZulu-Natal.

May 30 2024 - 13:58

PA hails growing support in Buffalo City metro, Nelson Mandela Bay

The Patriotic Alliance in the Eastern Cape has attributed the latest increase in results charts to a growing supporter base in Buffalo City metro and Nelson Mandela Bay as midday results showed new trends.

May 30 2024 - 13:55

Those chosen to govern need a change of heart

Votes are cast and are being counted after what many political pundits predicted would be our most competitive election to date. Whichever way it goes, the people of South Africa will have to live with the result for the next five years...

May 30 2024 - 13:47

'We want to go home': Exhausted election officials plead

IEC voting officers have expressed concern over long working hours without relief.

On Thursday, TimesLIVE visited some voting stations around Pretoria and was met by tired and dissatisfied officials.

Staff at one station said they had finished counting votes at about 10am but at 12pm they were still there, waiting to sign a register to get paid. They complained they had gone the whole of Wednesday and overnight without food or water.

May 30 2024 - 13:31

One reason for the high turnout

May 30 2024 - 13:23

Big winners?

May 30 2024 - 13:18

If ANC loses majority, what next?

If the ANC is confirmed to have lost its majority, as early results indicate, there could be two weeks of intense and complex negotiations to agree on how to form a new government. Two analysts offer their views.

May 30 2024 - 13:03

Exhaustion for Hatfield voters and officials as ballots cast until 5am

A small white table with a tea urn, a half loaf of bread and a half-empty plastic bag of brown sugar is in the middle of the parking lot at a voting station in Hatfield, Pretoria, on Thursday morning. This humble set-up was a source of sustenance to voters who endured an arduous election, with queues through the night.

Many of the voters were students from the University of Pretoria, who are writing exams this week.

According to party agents at the centre who served tea to people in the queue, the last people to vote cast their votes just after 5am, but many voters had given up and left.

May 30 2024 - 12:54

WATCH | EFF SG Marshall Dlamini not worried about numbers

EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini says their targeted areas' numbers have not yet been updated and they will wait until those results are revealed.

May 30 2024 - 12:50

Joint effort to ensure women's rights are protected

A conglomerate of organisations against gender-based violence deployed more than 50 of its members to ensure women’s rights were protected in voting stations.

May 30 2024 - 12:46

Reminder

May 30 2024 - 12:40

WATCH | IEC gives 12:30 update

May 30 2024 - 12:27

How each province is shaping up

May 30 2024 - 12:26

Who will be the 8.35%?

May 30 2024 - 12:23

Sowetan editor Nwabisa Makunga unpacks the incoming results

At the IEC centre in Midrand, Sowetan editor Nwabisa Makunga was in discussion with politics researcher Sam Mkokeli, director of Rivonia Circle, Tessa Dooms and Sowetan reporter Noxolo Sibiya.

May 30 2024 - 12:14

WATCH | Parties not worried by current numbers — there is still time

May 30 2024 - 12:12

POLL | Should the IEC consider online voting for future elections?

With some voters having had to endure long hours and queues before they could cast their ballots on Wednesday, the debate on whether the Electoral Commission of South Africa should look into online voting for future elections came up.

May 30 2024 - 12:09

Results at noon on Thursday via the IEC

May 30 2024 - 11:51

WATCH | Gwede Mantashe arrives at ROC in Midrand

Gwede Mantashe says the MK Party numbers surprised him in KZN but that wouldn’t be the same in other provinces.

May 30 2024 - 11:49

Born-frees take a stand in poll to influence their future

There was loud music blaring at Wits campus as well as excited chatter as many people descended onto the institution to cast their votes.

Hundreds of students and residents from surrounding areas braved the cold and stood on a long queue outside Wits Old Mutual Mall waiting to vote.

May 30 2024 - 11:39

DA leads ANC in troubled Emfuleni municipality

By 10.30am on Thursday the DA was leading the polls in Emfuleni Municipality in Gauteng with 41.26% followed by the ANC with 27.01% votes. 

At the time, 14,229 votes had been counted from the 360,379 people who had registered to vote. The DA had 5,838 votes while the ANC had 3,822.

The VF Plus was the third party in the race with 1,358 votes  (9.60%).

May 30 2024 - 11:36

ANC leading in Limpopo and North West

Early results by 10.30am on Thursday show that the ANC was taking the lead in two provinces, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape

May 30 2024 - 11:28

ANC takes early lead as national, Eastern Cape results trickle in

The ANC has taken an early lead in the Eastern Cape for seats in the National Assembly as the number of votes counted surpassed the 10% mark on Thursday morning.

Results slowly trickled in with counting of votes for 2,335 of 23,293 of the national voting districts completed by 8am.

May 30 2024 - 11:14

Why many residents of Gqeberha's northern areas opted not to vote

Though voting stations in Gqeberha’s northern areas experienced heavy foot traffic on Wednesday, some people took an unexpected approach to the national and provincial elections — staying away.

May 30 2024 - 11:11

MK Party confident of Eastern Cape upset

May 30 2024 - 11:09

EFF thanks voters, slams 'incompetent' IEC

May 30 2024 - 11:07

MK Party takes early lead in KZN after Durban voters queue past midnight

Jacob Zuma’s MK Party has taken the lead in KwaZulu-Natal with 38.6% of the vote as ballot counting got under way after Wednesday’s national and provincial elections.

By Thursday morning, the ANC had 32.32% of the vote, the IFP 15.81% and the DA 7%. 

May 30 2024 - 11:05

JUSTICE MALALA | Hold on tight for shocks and surprises

They are going to yank you about, the politicians. If you thought they flip-flopped on the campaign trail, well, watch them do somersaults and U-turns as the coalition talks begin in the next few days. There’s going to be so much whiplash you will need a neck brace.

May 30 2024 - 10:50

Latest from Gauteng and KZN

May 30 2024 - 10:25

Early election results show ANC losing majority with MK eroding its support

The ANC appears on course to lose the parliamentary majority it has held for 30 years, partial results from the national election show, in what would be the most dramatic political shift since the end of apartheid.

With results in from 11.3% of polling stations, the ANC's share of the vote in Wednesday's election stood at 42.8%, with the DA on 25.6% and the EFF on 8.3%, data from the electoral commission showed.

May 30 2024 - 10:21

ANC at 41.65% after 12.85% of voting districts declared: CSIR

May 30 2024 - 10:17

ANC 'looks forward to a clear mandate from voters'

May 30 2024 - 10:10

Don't read too much from early predictions: Mbete

May 30 2024 - 09:58

Van Damme warns of 'grave risk'

May 30 2024 - 09:55

Counted votes pass 1-million mark

May 30 2024 - 09:51

'Truly wild': Pierre de Vos weighs in

May 30 2024 - 09:49

'Like a broken guitar': Sam Mkokeli on election's impact on markets

May 30 2024 - 09:42

JONATHAN JANSEN | Coalition politics means power tussles and not much else

The elections are over and the ruling party is scrambling to secure a coalition partner to take them over the 50% mark — and load-shedding will be back in full swing soon. In other words, back to abnormal. The action that will create meaningful change in education and development is more likely to come from below, writes Prof Jonathan Jansen.

May 30 2024 - 09:39

Some predictions

May 30 2024 - 09:34

IEC thanks voters

May 30 2024 - 09:26

Early results from Western Cape, Free State

May 30 2024 - 09:12

May 30 2024 - 09:02

ANC at 42.3% after 10% of results counted

With results in from 10% of polling stations, the ANC's share of the vote in Wednesday's election stood at 42.3%, with the DA on 26.3% and the EFF on 8.1%, data from the electoral commission showed. The early results showed the ANC and the DA neck-and-neck on about 34% each in Gauteng. In KwaZulu-Natal, the MK party led by former president Jacob Zuma was performing strongly, with 41.7% of the vote versus 20.1% for the ANC.

– Reuters

May 30 2024 - 09:00

Cold and thirsty Joburg voters wait after midnight to cast their votes

Cold, hungry and thirsty, scores of voters deprived themselves of sleep as they waited undeterred outside the Gauteng legislature in Johannesburg after midnight to cast their votes. 

The voting station had a huge voter turnout as thousands of people waited in snaking queues for an average of six to seven hours — including those who joined the lines after knocking off work. 

May 30 2024 - 08:35

MK Party 'concerned about IEC mismanagement' of elections

May 30 2024 - 08:20

RIP Eusebius

May 30 2024 - 07:45

Election results trickle in after wide-open vote

First results from Wednesday's general election were trickling in early on Thursday after a late voting surge kept many polling stations open with snaking queues late into the night.

The ANC was on 43.2% of the vote after 5.5% of polling stations reported results, the election commission said.

The biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, was on 27.3% of the vote, and Economic Freedom Fighters in third place, with 7.5%, the early results also showed.

Check the latest results here.

May 30 2024 - 07:30

WATCH LIVE | 2024 election results start trickling in

May 30 2024 - 07:26

Eastern Cape's Bizana voting station first to proclaim election results

The Eastern Cape was the first province to officially release results of the 2024 national and provincial elections.

The results were from the Bizana Baptist Church voting station in the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela municipality for the national ballot.

They showed that the ANC was leading with 99 votes, followed by the EFF with 29 votes and the MK Party with 17 votes. Other parties, such as Bosa, IFP and ATM each got one vote.

May 30 2024 - 06:30

Wits students brave long queues to vote, receive widespread support on social media

Students at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) have been praised for their patience and determination after standing in line for hours to vote.

Arriving at the polling stations as early as 1pm on Wednesday, many students found themselves still waiting in long queues well past the 9pm cut-off time.

“The queue outside is still long here at Wits University. I finally managed to vote,” tweeted Nqobile Dludla who finally cast her vote at 10.20pm.”

May 30 2024 - 00:30

Elections 2024 done and dusted: protests, a fatality, technical glitches but a greater turnout than in 2019

The national and provincial elections on Wednesday saw unusually long queues in some metropolitan areas in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape, with some voters in Johannesburg waiting about seven hours in queues before casting their ballots. 

Some of the delays could be attributed to there being three ballot papers in this year's elections, which meant voters spent more time when casting their votes. There were also reports of problems with the operation of the voter management devices at some stations.

While the IEC reported that some areas had experienced delays and disruptions to voting, at least one death allegedly linked to the elections was reported.

TimesLIVE