IEC general manager Granville Abrahams said the commission would capture more votes on Friday from the metros.
“The metros constitute 55% of voters. We are sitting a voter turnout of 58.9% with the biggest stations [metros] to come,” Abrahams said.
He said there were about 7,000 voting stations results yet to be accounted for in the national results tally.
“We have started with the counting of metros in terms of the results seen on the board [on Thursday] but not all of them. We are getting to that part today where we see more numbers from the metros."
Zuma had previously indicated he would like to form a coalition with the EFF.
Wishing the red berets' leader Julius Malema a happy birthday last month, Zuma said: “You are now 43. That is a very good age in the circumstances in which we are. I want to wish you a happy birthday and wish you and all of us to change the country needs this year whether they like it or not. We must win with a two-thirds majority.”
He said he believed his new party and the red berets could secure a majority of votes in the national and provincial elections held on Wednesday.
TimesLIVE
Halfway into results: MK Party slowly taking EFF’s third spot nationally
Image: Kabelo Mokoena
With half the votes counted, Jacob Zuma’s MK Party (MKP) might be far from its target of a two-thirds majority, but it is slowly taking over the EFF’s spot with the third highest number of votes.
Early on Friday morning the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) had counted and audited 51.92% of the votes and the ANC was leading with 42.34%.
The DA trailed behind at 23.39% and the MKP at 10.77%, taking the EFF’s third spot.
The EFF accounted for 9.62% of votes, and the difference between it and the MKP was 82,798 votes.
The MKP’s boost in the national results is coming from KwaZulu-Natal, where it leads with 45.34% after 36.06% of votes counted in the province.
The election results could change on Friday as the IEC started to record more votes from eight of the country’s metros with larger number of voters.
It’s sinking in — ANC top brass accept 50% beyond reach
IEC general manager Granville Abrahams said the commission would capture more votes on Friday from the metros.
“The metros constitute 55% of voters. We are sitting a voter turnout of 58.9% with the biggest stations [metros] to come,” Abrahams said.
He said there were about 7,000 voting stations results yet to be accounted for in the national results tally.
“We have started with the counting of metros in terms of the results seen on the board [on Thursday] but not all of them. We are getting to that part today where we see more numbers from the metros."
Zuma had previously indicated he would like to form a coalition with the EFF.
Wishing the red berets' leader Julius Malema a happy birthday last month, Zuma said: “You are now 43. That is a very good age in the circumstances in which we are. I want to wish you a happy birthday and wish you and all of us to change the country needs this year whether they like it or not. We must win with a two-thirds majority.”
He said he believed his new party and the red berets could secure a majority of votes in the national and provincial elections held on Wednesday.
TimesLIVE
MORE:
ELECTION RESULTS DAY 3 WRAP | ‘Those people were never ours — they were Zuma’s’: Malema on MK Party
LISTEN | 'We were the underdogs and no-one had faith in us': Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla
LISTEN | Gwede Mantashe blames tribalism for strong MK Party showing in KZN
MK Party takes early lead in KZN after Durban voters queue past midnight
MK Party has punished ANC and IFP: Mantashe on early election results
Early election results show ANC losing majority with MK eroding its support
‘It’s OK if I’m in breach’: Dudu Zuma-Sambudla on breaking IEC code with ‘vote rigging’ claims
Party leaders unmoved by early election results, say no cause for panic yet
ANC will get a firm majority: Cyril Ramaphosa
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