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| South Africa in post-Nelson Mandela elections | South Africa in post-Nelson Mandela elections |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Huge numbers of South Africans have been voting in general elections as the country marks 20 years since the end of white-minority rule. | Huge numbers of South Africans have been voting in general elections as the country marks 20 years since the end of white-minority rule. |
| The African National Congress (ANC) is tipped to win, returning President Jacob Zuma for a second five-year term. | The African National Congress (ANC) is tipped to win, returning President Jacob Zuma for a second five-year term. |
| These are the first elections since the death in December of Nelson Mandela, the country's first black president. | These are the first elections since the death in December of Nelson Mandela, the country's first black president. |
| Polls are now beginning to close as the last of the voters cast their ballots, with the full result due before Friday. | Polls are now beginning to close as the last of the voters cast their ballots, with the full result due before Friday. |
| The ANC is expected to win more than 60% of the vote, although opinion polls show there is disaffection with the country's leadership. | The ANC is expected to win more than 60% of the vote, although opinion polls show there is disaffection with the country's leadership. |
| But it is not clear whether this will translate into a significant swing for the opposition. | But it is not clear whether this will translate into a significant swing for the opposition. |
| The ANC's main challenger is expected to be the Democratic Alliance (DA), the liberal pro-business party led by anti-apartheid activist Helen Zille, which is trying to make inroads into the black electorate. | The ANC's main challenger is expected to be the Democratic Alliance (DA), the liberal pro-business party led by anti-apartheid activist Helen Zille, which is trying to make inroads into the black electorate. |
| The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), launched last year by former ANC youth leader Julius Malema, hopes to get its first parliamentary seats with its campaign for nationalising the mines and the forced redistribution of farmland. | The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), launched last year by former ANC youth leader Julius Malema, hopes to get its first parliamentary seats with its campaign for nationalising the mines and the forced redistribution of farmland. |
| Hoping for change | Hoping for change |
| Those born after the end of apartheid in 1994 cast their first national ballots, although only a third of those entitled to do so had registered to vote. | Those born after the end of apartheid in 1994 cast their first national ballots, although only a third of those entitled to do so had registered to vote. |
| Lehlohonolo Mafausu, 18, told the BBC she was very excited to be voting for the first time. | Lehlohonolo Mafausu, 18, told the BBC she was very excited to be voting for the first time. |
| "Many people sacrificed their lives for me to get this chance," she said in Diepsloot, a township north of Johannesburg. | "Many people sacrificed their lives for me to get this chance," she said in Diepsloot, a township north of Johannesburg. |
| Police were deployed to areas where there had been scenes of violent protests and political tensions. | Police were deployed to areas where there had been scenes of violent protests and political tensions. |
| But correspondents said the voting began smoothly and there was an air of excitement, particularly among the first time voters. | But correspondents said the voting began smoothly and there was an air of excitement, particularly among the first time voters. |
| The BBC's Milton Nkosi at a polling station in Soweto said voters had been walking in and out steadily making their mark. | The BBC's Milton Nkosi at a polling station in Soweto said voters had been walking in and out steadily making their mark. |
| One voter there told the BBC: "I don't see any party that can defeat the ANC. They fought for more than a hundred years... fought for this liberty and so no-one will turn their backs on them." | One voter there told the BBC: "I don't see any party that can defeat the ANC. They fought for more than a hundred years... fought for this liberty and so no-one will turn their backs on them." |
| In Diepsloot, scene of frequent protests by people demanding basic services such as water and electricity, Alpheos Tshikopo, 44, said: "We live in hope that things will change - that is why I am here today. If we have jobs we can look after ourselves, that is all we want." | In Diepsloot, scene of frequent protests by people demanding basic services such as water and electricity, Alpheos Tshikopo, 44, said: "We live in hope that things will change - that is why I am here today. If we have jobs we can look after ourselves, that is all we want." |
| This concern was reflected in a BBC poll which suggests unemployment is the major issue for young voters in the country, where about a quarter of the workforce is jobless. | This concern was reflected in a BBC poll which suggests unemployment is the major issue for young voters in the country, where about a quarter of the workforce is jobless. |
| The ANC's campaign drew heavily on its campaign to end apartheid and the outpouring of grief over Mr Mandela's death. | The ANC's campaign drew heavily on its campaign to end apartheid and the outpouring of grief over Mr Mandela's death. |
| "Do it for Madiba, Vote ANC!" campaign posters read, referring to Mr Mandela by his clan name. | "Do it for Madiba, Vote ANC!" campaign posters read, referring to Mr Mandela by his clan name. |
| However, a group of former ANC stalwarts led by ex-Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils called on people to choose one of the smaller opposition parties or spoil their ballots to remind the ANC "that they've got to serve the people of the country and not themselves". | However, a group of former ANC stalwarts led by ex-Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils called on people to choose one of the smaller opposition parties or spoil their ballots to remind the ANC "that they've got to serve the people of the country and not themselves". |
| "There's a rot that's set in, there's huge corruption and graft and cronyism," he told the BBC. | "There's a rot that's set in, there's huge corruption and graft and cronyism," he told the BBC. |
| President Zuma urged people to cast their ballots freely as he voted in Nklandla near his rural home, which has been at the centre of scandal because of its expensive state-funded upgrades. | President Zuma urged people to cast their ballots freely as he voted in Nklandla near his rural home, which has been at the centre of scandal because of its expensive state-funded upgrades. |
| Trouble hotspot | Trouble hotspot |
| Some 22,000 polling stations were open at schools, places of worship and hospitals, while dozens of vehicles serving as mobile voting centres operated in remote areas. | Some 22,000 polling stations were open at schools, places of worship and hospitals, while dozens of vehicles serving as mobile voting centres operated in remote areas. |
| About 25 million people registered to vote - roughly half the population. | About 25 million people registered to vote - roughly half the population. |
| There was rioting in Bekkersdal township, south-west of Johannesburg, on Tuesday and some temporary polling stations were burned down. | There was rioting in Bekkersdal township, south-west of Johannesburg, on Tuesday and some temporary polling stations were burned down. |
| Bekkersdal has suffered intermittent unrest since last year as residents protested over a lack of public services. | Bekkersdal has suffered intermittent unrest since last year as residents protested over a lack of public services. |