Voting starts across South Africa as citizens set to elect new parliament, provincial lawmakers
The popularity of the ruling African National Congress, ANC, will be put to the test as voting commenced across South Africa in what analysts say is the most competitive election since the end of apartheid.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says 27.79 million people are registered to vote, up from 26.74 million in 2019.
The election is held amid growing socio-economic chaos and political fragmentation.
No fewer than 70 political parties and 11 independent candidates are contesting an election that will see South Africans elect a new parliament and nine provincial legislatures.
In the run up to the race, opinion polls suggested that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) will lose its parliamentary majority after 30 years in government.
Formerly led by Nelson Mandela, the ANC swept to power in South Africa’s first multi-racial election in 1994 and has won a majority in national elections held every five years since then.
Despite this, the party’s popularity has come under pressure, especially with emerging, strong opposition parties that have raised an army of supporters.
The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) has signed a pact with 10 other parties to wrestle power from the ANC.
Another emerging party is the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), led by former President Jacob Zuma, who dumped the ANC following intra-party disputes.
Meanwhile, police and the army have been deployed to polling stations to ensure the smooth sailing of the election across the country.
