ANC takes early lead in several KZN municipalities
Ballot counting has been underway since 9pm on Monday night, when the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) wrapped up the 2021 local government elections.
According to early results from the commission’s results centre in Durban, the African National Congress (ANC) looks to be leading the pack in several municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.
These include Richmond, Impendle and Wartburg's uMshwathi.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) took early leads in Nkandla and Umsinga.
The results are yet to start trickling in from eThekwini, Umsunduzi, Umvoti and Jozini.
Overall, the governing party garnered the most support nationally, at 43%, followed by the DA at 28%.
But after only 10% of the votes counted, it's still to early to say who'll be in charge of the country's municipalities.
The IEC, meanwhile, had to deal with a myriad of complaints on voting day.
One of the main issues was around the Voter Management Devices with several reports of faulty equipment at stations around the country.
Two wards in eThekwini also ran out of PR ballot papers.
But IFP founder Mangosuthu Buthelezi says, overall, the party had no major complaints.
"There have been complaints which of course have been forward to to the IEC, apart from that I really dont think that I can complain about the IEC."
In a statement last night, the IEC said that some 8 million South Africans had voted by 5pm.
Also, 20 voting stations in KZN, that were closed due to community protests, eventually opened.
