European Salon de News, Discussion et Klatsch - 23 April | 131 comments (131 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

France 24 | ANC's Zuma confident as country goes to the polls | France 24

South Africa goes to the polls today in an election that is all but certain to bring Jacob Zuma, head of the ruling ANC party, to victory. Zuma had corruption charges against him dropped just two weeks before the vote.
AFP - South Africans went to the polls Wednesday in general elections all but certain to propel the ruling ANC party's controversial leader Jacob Zuma to the presidency.

Lines formed early outside voting stations with a record more than 23 million South Africans registered to cast ballots.

"Most of the voting stations have opened. Where there are problems we are dealing with them," Independent Electoral Commission spokeswoman Kate Bapela told AFP.

by Fran on Wed Apr 22nd, 2009 at 02:11:01 PM EST
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Re: World (none / 1)

BBC NEWS | Africa | Huge turnout in South Africa poll

A huge turnout in South Africa's general election has left officials struggling with angry queues at polling stations and too few ballot papers.
By mid-afternoon, fears were emerging that ballot papers were running out in places and some ballot boxes were full.
But election officials say anyone in line when polls close will get to vote.
The election is expected to be the most competitive since the end of apartheid in 1994. The ruling ANC - led by Jacob Zuma - is expected to win.
But it could lose its two-thirds majority in parliament which allows it to change the constitution.

by Fran on Wed Apr 22nd, 2009 at 02:14:44 PM EST
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First results - 20% counted (4.00 / 2)

ANC cruises to victory - Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source

The African National Congress (ANC) has slightly increased its lead over opposition parties in the national election and currently stands on 63,2% with three million votes counted.

The ruling party broke through the 60% ceiling early on Thursday morning and was set to achieve a two-thirds majority in the country's fourth democratic election.

At 8am the Democratic Alliance (DA) was in second place with 19,92% (584 822 votes) and the Congress of the People (Cope) third with 7,73% of the vote (226 755).

Smaller opposition parties were still lagging behind with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on 2,7%, the Independent Democrats (ID) on 1,7% and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) on 1,2%.

Votes were still trickling into the national results centre in Pretoria and a voter turnout of more than 70% was expected. With 23-million South Africans registered to vote, this meant that almost 20% of votes had been counted by 8am.

The DA was still leading the closely watched race in the Western Cape with 53,8% (304 409 votes) against the ANC's 26,8% (151 847 votes).