A day after voting stations closed in South Africa, in one of the most hotly contested elections the country has seen since the end of apartheid, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has said on Thursday (May 30) they had seven days in which to announce the election results.

Sy Mamabolo, chief electoral officer of the IEC, said historically the commission has been able to finalise 80% of the votes in 24 hours, however the 2024 elections have been “slowed down”, particularly in metropolitan areas.

Local media reported technical glitches at some of the stations on voting day, and eligible voters being turned away due to issues related to voter registration.

Partial results show The African National Congress is on course to lose its parliamentary majority after 30 years in power, with the Democratic Alliance expected to come second, the Economic Freedom Fighters third and uMkhonto we Sizw fourth.

(Reuters)