South Africans have voted in pivotal general elections in which the ANC could lose its majority for the first time since 1994
The party that ended apartheid is under fire over corruption, high levels of crime and economic woes
It may be forced to enter into a coalition with one or more opposition parties
A record 70 parties participated, with the second biggest likely to be the DA
The radical EFF and the new MK party, led by ex-President Jacob Zuma, hope to make inroads
Zuma is barred from running for parliament because of a contempt of court conviction, but his name was on the ballot paper
Registered voters: 27.7 million
Female registered voters: 15.3 million (55.25%)
Male registered voters: 12.4 million (44.75%)
Political parties: 70
Independent candidates: 11
Polling stations: 23,292
Ballots: Three (two for the national assembly and one for the provincial legislature)
Source: South Africa’s electoral commission and government news agency
Nobuhle Simelane
BBC News, Johannesburg
Image source, ReutersThabo Mbeki (centre) was South Africa's leader from 1999 to 2008
Former President Thabo Mbeki has just cast his vote at the Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg.
"Beyond today I think the country needs to get together in a national dialogue," Mbeki, also a former ANC leader, says after casting his ballot.
"There are too many challenges in South Africa. It’s going to be important that the ANC must renew itself. It has an important role for the future of the country."
Mbeki was South Africa's leader from 1999 to 2008.
By Anthony Irungu & David Nyka
BBC News, Johannesburg
Goodluck Jonathan was Nigeria's leader from 2010 to 2015
Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is leading a team of election observers in South Africa, says he is concerned about the country’s new registration procedures.
“What we were a bit worried about is people who have not gone to their provinces to vote,” he tells the BBC.
“Previously, voters could cast their ballots in major cities like Pretoria, Johannesburg or Cape Town without much hassle.
"However, this time, voters needed to apply to the electoral commission for reassignment if they wanted to vote outside their registered province."
Jonathan, who led Nigeria from 2010 to 2015, says many voters had not completed this process, mistakenly believing they could vote as before.
The 66-year-old also says "confusion over the introduction of a third ballot, a move aimed at accommodating independent candidates for the first time in South Africa’s history, could also have ramifications.
“Voter education will need to take place even at the voting centres, which will slow down the process,” he says.
Read more about how South Africa's voting system works here.
Two representatives of an unnamed political party have been arrested over allegations they tried to tamper with ballot boxes.
Police are also investigating two other cases of suspected interference in the special poll, which allowed South Africans unable to travel to their polling station on election day to vote early, on Monday and Tuesday.
Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said on Wednesday: "Interference with the unfolding electoral programme, logistics, handlings or intimidation of electoral staff cannot be justified as vigilance.
"It is now up to all of us to work together to ensure that these elections are free, fair and secure – and that the outcome reflects the will of the South African electorate."
David Nkya
BBC News, Soweto
Image source, BBC/David NkyaPresident Cyril Ramaphosa has cast his vote at Chiawelo station in Soweto, accompanied by his wife Tshepo Motsepe.
He says he is confident that the IEC will run a good election because they are world class and well organised.
"This is a great day for democracy in South Africa. Today we vote for the stability and the extension of our democracy," he added.
He is hopeful of getting a fresh mandate to continue leading the country.
Bruno Garcez
BBC News, Alexandra in Johannesburg
Seventy-five-year-old Seipati Julia Ntseie dressed up in an elegant green dress two days ago to vote – at home.
She lives in Alexandra township in Johannesburg – and like other such neighbourhoods of cities where many people were forced to live during the apartheid era – voting can be challenging for an elderly person or someone with a disability.
This because in those areas, many polling stations are not within walking distance or readily accessible via public transport.
So the Independent Election Commission (IEC) sends officials to their residences carrying ballots and ballot boxes. This happened on Monday.
"I am happy that the IEC still remembers us and visits us at home," Nteseie told the BBC.
Electoral officials also paid visits to some of her neighbours, who also needed help casting their votes.
A total of 295,731 South Africans registered to vote at home or other places of residence, such as hospitals, retirement centres or health care facilities because of their age or an infirmity.
Regular outages have blighted the country in recent years
South Africa’s electricity ministry came out on eve of the vote last night to scotch social media reports suggesting load-shedding, as planned power-cuts are known, are imminent.
Regular outages have blighted the country in recent years - having a major effect on people’s lives and the economy.
Poor maintenance, ageing infrastructure, corruption and mismanagement have all been blamed for the failures within Eskom, the state-owned power company.
But for the two months now, South Africans have been enjoying uninterrupted power.
The statement, released by the ministry in the presidency responsible for electricity, noted that 62 days have passed without a power-cut thanks to efforts to “stabilise and strengthen the generation system”.
“Eskom’s performance has defied all the doomsday predictions,” it said.
The governing ANC has been accused by critics of burning diesel to keep the lights “at all costs”.
Image source, Getty ImagesThere are challenges identifying some voters in prisons
Voting is also underway at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in the capital, Pretoria.
The facility has 2,908 registered voters, the highest in all the country's prisons.
More than 17,000 registered inmates in 240 prisons are expected to cast their votes.
There are reported challenges in identifying some of the voters in the correctional facilities.
From early morning, voters camped outside polling stations as they waited for polls to open.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, AFPVoters were able to cast their votes early in the day although some delays were reported at some polling stations
Image source, AFPOpinion polls suggest that support for the ruling ANC has dwindled and the party could lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years
Image source, BBC/Ed HabershonThere were some long queues in some polling stations, such as this one at the Durban City Hall
Image source, AFPFor the first time voters require three ballot papers
Image source, AFPPoll officials are required to seal ballot boxes to ensure they are not tampered with
Image source, ReutersWith 42% of registered voters under the age of 40, young voters are expected to have a big influence in the poll
Image source, ReutersIt's back to school for leader of the opposition John Steenhuisen.
Not for the first time, Steenhuisen cast his vote at Durban's Northwood Boys High, the school he attended as a youngster.
Steenhuisen, who heads the Democratic Alliance (DA) party, was accompanied by his daughter Caroline, who is voting for the first time.
Steenhuisen believes he has what it takes to eventually become president.
One of the most burning issues on the campaign trail has been unemployment, which has hit young people particularly hard.
The World Bank says it's the highest rate in the world and currently nearly a third of South Africans who are looking for work are unable to find a job.
And more than 44% of 15 to 34-year-olds are not in education, training or employment.
Like many African countries, South Africa has a young population - a majority of the country’s 62 million people are under 35.
Rafieka Williams
BBC News, Johannesburg
Image source, BBC/Rafieka WilliamsNelson Mosima is not voting this time
Nelson Mosima has been at Joubert Park as early as others waiting to cast their ballot, but he will not vote.
He takes a 10km (six miles) jog around the park followed by lifting weights.
Mosima is one of the many people who have decided not to vote.
He has been unemployed for seven years and used to be politically active.
"I can't be waiting for pensioners (politicians) who don't have a vision.
"It has been 30 years but they are not showing us [that] they want to change anything. It's all about themselves, their families, their greed," Mosima said.
He said with the options he has between political parties, none have aligned with his values as a South African.
Dion Manenzhe, who was the first person to cast their ballot at the voting station said his experience of voting on three ballot papers went smoothly.
"It's easy if you know what you're voting for. Just tick, tick, tick."
He is a regular at Joubert Park, and always votes with the hope that South Africa can change.
Another voter Benson Ncube, said he was happy to vote and get back into bed.
Image source, SA National Defence ForceThe military is set stay on the streets until next month
No major security incidents reported so far but thousands of security forces are keeping guard across the country.
Nearly 3,000 soldiers are collaborating with police to ensure smooth voting.
Besides the military’s duty to ensure peaceful elections, soldiers are also helping deliver materials in far-flung polling stations that are only accessible by boat or helicopters.
The army is also set to transport the ballot boxes for counting once polling stations are closed.
This is South Africa's seventh democratic general election since 1994, when white-minority rule ended and the African National Congress (ANC) came to power.
The ANC, now led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is under growing pressure.
Stubbornly high unemployment, which hit 32% last year, persistent economic inequalities, corruption allegations and frequent power cuts have reduced its popularity.
High levels of violent crime - on average 130 rapes and 80 murders a day in the last three months of 2023 - have also dented confidence in the authorities.
The country could, for the first time, have a coalition government if the ANC loses its parliamentary majority.
President Ramaphosa is likely to remain in office, unless he faces an internal challenge if the party's performance is worse than expected.
The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) has signed a pact with 10 other parties, agreeing to form a coalition government if they get enough votes to dislodge the ANC from power.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and newcomer umKhonto we Sizwe (MK) backed by former President Jacob Zuma also hope to sway some 28 million registered voters to their side.
Farouk Chothia
BBC News, Johannesburg
People are expressing frustration with the slow pace of voting
After a delay of around 40 minutes, voting got under way in downtown’s Johannesburg’s Joubert Park polling station - the biggest in South Africa with more than 16,000 voters.
The governing African National Congress (ANC) got a majority at this polling station in the 2019 election, followed by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
The queues are orderly - and getting longer, though people are expressing frustration with the slow pace of voting.
There is only one voter showing his political allegiance by wearing a T-shirt of former President Jacob Zuma’s new party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK).
He won’t give me his name or let me photograph him, but he says: “Even if Zuma was corrupt, things were better under him. The economy is worse now and there are fewer jobs.”
An official inquiry found widespread corruption during Mr Zuma’s nine-year presidency, which ended in 2018.
He denies any wrongdoing, and caused a major shock by campaigning for MK in this election, ditching the governing African National Congress (ANC).
South Africa’s official unemployment rate rose to almost 33% in the first quarter of this year, and the cost of living is also high with many families struggling to survive.
Farouk Chothia
BBC News, Johannesburg
For the first time, voters will receive three ballot papers - not two - when they enter a polling booth.
The first ballot will have a list of parties competing for 200 parliamentary seats nationwide.
The second ballot will list parties - and independents - in provinces vying for a further 200 parliamentary seats.
This is the first time that this ballot has been introduced in order to give independents a chance to run for parliament, and to strengthen provincial representation in the law-making body.
There is no direct election for the president - the new National Assembly chooses the president, who is normally the leader of the majority party.
The third ballot is for provincial legislatures - one for each of South Africa’s nine provinces.
Voters in each province vote for their own parliament, called a legislature - and this time around they will be able to vote for independents, rather than only parties.
Provinces have huge budgets, and are responsible for things like education and health, along with the national government.
This might all seem very complicated - if you want a better understanding of the electoral system it's worth reading this handy explainer by political scientist Dirk Kotze in The Conversation., external
Kyla Herrmannsen
BBC News, Soweto
Image source, BBC/Kyla HerrmannsenThe electoral commission has assured that the seals will arrive soon
Voting has been delayed here at Kwansikana Junior Secondary School in Orlando West, Soweto, as there aren’t any seals to seal the ballot papers with.
IEC staff here have reassured the growing queue that the seals will arrive soon and voting will get under way.
Farouk Chothia
BBC News, Johannesburg
Steve Khoza is patiently waiting to cast his vote
Polling stations have officially opened in South Africa but voting has not yet started at the biggest one - Joubert Park in downtown Johannesburg.
Election officials are frantically busy, putting up voting booths made of cardboard and taping ballot boxes together.
Because of the huge number of voters here, the polling station has been split into three voting booths with 20 to 30 people in each queue.
First in one of the queues is Steve Khoza, wearing a tie and standing with a crutch.
He is a security guard who was attacked by robbers while on his way to work in 2011.
Mr Khoza has come to the polling station straight from a night shift and is patiently waiting to cast his ballot. He won’t tell me who he’ll vote for but, not surprisingly, crime is at the top of his mind.
He says the government must get to grips with it, and build a loyal and disciplined police force.
Emer McCarthy
BBC News, Soweto
Image source, BBC/Emer McCarthySouth Africa is among countries with highest unemployment rate in the world
We’ve been speaking to some first time voters here in Soweto.
These friends range in age from 19 to 22.
They say the biggest issue facing young people here is unemployment.
Even though they’re studying at university - and currently in the middle of exams - they’re worried about finding jobs after graduation.
They say they’re "anxious" about voting today.
The party that has governed South Africa since the end of white-minority rule is holding its breath as voters cast their ballots.
Opinion polls have consistently suggested the African National Congress (ANC) will lose its parliamentary majority for the first time, forcing it to enter into a coalition with one or more opposition party.
Taking the last three decades as a whole, South Africans, on average, have become richer. Poverty levels have fallen and, in general, people have access to better housing and health care.
But the election campaign has been dominated by widespread corruption in government, the high levels of unemployment, deteriorating public services and rampant crime.
The graph below shows how the ANC’s share of the vote at general elections has been falling steadily since its high-water mark of 70% in 2004.
Image source, Electoral Commission of South Africa