First results announced by the IEC

JOHANNESBURG - Just a little after midnight, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) announced its first set of results. These were produced by the Mbizana Baptist Church in the Madikizela Mandela Municipality in the Eastern Cape.

Extraordinarily long queues characterised the 2024 provincial and general elections, with several parties, observers, and commentators raising concerns over the commission’s ability to efficiently process the ballots of those who wished to make their mark.

One hundred sixty-three valid ballots were counted from the small municipality, with the African National Congress (ANC) taking an early lead on the Eastern Cape’s national ballot.

IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya made the announcement.