2019 Elections: Counting of first votes underway
Results are beginning to come in from the 2019 general elections. Polling stations closed at 9 last night and the IEC said that counting would begin as soon as the last voter leaves.
Just 13% of the ballots are counted so far. The ANC's got 52% of the vote, the DA 28% and the EFF 7%.
IEC officials are collating the results as they come in from polling stations across the country. The final results of the national and provincial votes are expected by Saturday.
Here in KZN, the ANC is confident it won't have to resort to coalitions to maintain power in the province.
The party's Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu made the comment at the IEC’s Provincial Results Operation Centre in Durban's Mayville area yesterday. She says the ANC doesn't feel threatened by any of the opposition parties.
"We are not talking coalition politics as the ANC. We campaign to win and we are going to win. There is no party that is a threat to us. At this point, we are very confident that we are going to win," he said.
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Meanwhile, KZN voters say those who chose not to make their mark yesterday - don't have the right to complain.
Speaking to us in Ashburton, these residents say they hope their voice will help improve the country.
"It's a big opportunity missed. It's a voice that has been lost for the five years we are in. In my case, it doesn't qualify anyone to complain because they didn't make an effort to correct it," one voter said.
This woman says she hopes promises made by political leaders are kept.
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"My vote will add to what we are expecting. We have promises that have been put forward. I hope that my vote is also going to fulfill the promises that have been made," she said.
An elderly man says even a single vote is important.
"[If you've] missed the boat - it's of no value to the country because we all need to vote," the elderly man explains.
