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| A.N.C. Solidifies Lead in Latest South African Vote Count | A.N.C. Solidifies Lead in Latest South African Vote Count |
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| JOHANNESBURG — With counting virtually complete on Friday after South Africa’s fifth all-race elections, results showed the long-governing African National Congress securing another big victory, even though the party fell short of its goal of a two-thirds majority. | JOHANNESBURG — With counting virtually complete on Friday after South Africa’s fifth all-race elections, results showed the long-governing African National Congress securing another big victory, even though the party fell short of its goal of a two-thirds majority. |
| The outcome seemed to show that, whatever misgivings South Africans might have about the President Jacob G. Zuma, many were still prepared to display their loyalty to the 102-year-old party that claimed victory over apartheid 20 years ago and cast itself for decades before that as their champion. | The outcome seemed to show that, whatever misgivings South Africans might have about the President Jacob G. Zuma, many were still prepared to display their loyalty to the 102-year-old party that claimed victory over apartheid 20 years ago and cast itself for decades before that as their champion. |
| The Independent Electoral Commission said that, with the vote from almost 99 percent of districts counted, the A.N.C. led with 62.2 percent. That result was in keeping with projections that the party, mired in corruption scandals and headed by the unpopular Mr. Zuma, would shed a few percentage points compared with the last general election, in 2009, when it won 65.9 percent. | |
| The figures mean that the A.N.C. is assured of maintaining its commanding majority in the 400-seat Parliament, which formally appoints the president, effectively guaranteeing that Mr. Zuma, who has battled charges of corruption and rape in recent years, will win a second term. | The figures mean that the A.N.C. is assured of maintaining its commanding majority in the 400-seat Parliament, which formally appoints the president, effectively guaranteeing that Mr. Zuma, who has battled charges of corruption and rape in recent years, will win a second term. |
| The dominance of the A.N.C. cloaked some other important shifts. The Democratic Alliance, the second-biggest party in Parliament, seemed to have increased its share of the vote from roughly 17 percent in 2009 to around 22 percent, while the radical Economic Freedom Fighters, led by the populist Julius Malema and running in their first election, were coming in at just over 6 percent, placing the group third, ahead of all other minority challengers. | The dominance of the A.N.C. cloaked some other important shifts. The Democratic Alliance, the second-biggest party in Parliament, seemed to have increased its share of the vote from roughly 17 percent in 2009 to around 22 percent, while the radical Economic Freedom Fighters, led by the populist Julius Malema and running in their first election, were coming in at just over 6 percent, placing the group third, ahead of all other minority challengers. |
| In two northern regions regarded as Mr. Malema’s stronghold, the grouping ran a distant second to the A.N.C., ahead of the Democratic Alliance. | In two northern regions regarded as Mr. Malema’s stronghold, the grouping ran a distant second to the A.N.C., ahead of the Democratic Alliance. |
| Mr. Malema sought to draw support from the country’s many unemployed young people, modeling himself on such figures as Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Robert G. Mugabe in neighboring Zimbabwe, and promising a huge redistribution of wealth. | Mr. Malema sought to draw support from the country’s many unemployed young people, modeling himself on such figures as Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Robert G. Mugabe in neighboring Zimbabwe, and promising a huge redistribution of wealth. |
| The near-complete results showed that more than a million South Africans were drawn to his message, voting for Mr. Malema and his red-bereted followers. Some young South Africans — the so-called born frees, who grew up with no exposure to apartheid — were voting for the first time. | The near-complete results showed that more than a million South Africans were drawn to his message, voting for Mr. Malema and his red-bereted followers. Some young South Africans — the so-called born frees, who grew up with no exposure to apartheid — were voting for the first time. |
| “A million votes,” said Floyd Shivambu, an official in Mr. Malema’s party, “is a great inspiration.” | “A million votes,” said Floyd Shivambu, an official in Mr. Malema’s party, “is a great inspiration.” |
| A projection by the South African Broadcasting Corporation said the results could yield 23 parliamentary seats for Mr. Malema’s year-old party — a more emphatic entry into the legislature than his critics, and even some of his followers, had predicted. | A projection by the South African Broadcasting Corporation said the results could yield 23 parliamentary seats for Mr. Malema’s year-old party — a more emphatic entry into the legislature than his critics, and even some of his followers, had predicted. |
| While the A.N.C. itself was likely to lose control of only three seats, with 261, and maintain its control of Parliament, the projection said, the Democratic Alliance could increase its share significantly from 67 seats to 90. | While the A.N.C. itself was likely to lose control of only three seats, with 261, and maintain its control of Parliament, the projection said, the Democratic Alliance could increase its share significantly from 67 seats to 90. |
| Most of the gains seemed to come at the expense of smaller parties, including the Congress of the People, formed in 2008 to challenge the A.N.C., and the Inkatha Freedom Party, which is rooted in Mr. Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal and was once a powerful force there. The Congress of the People was likely to see its number of seats drop from 30 to 2, while the presence of the Inkatha Freedom Party could be halved, from 18 to 9, according to the projection. | Most of the gains seemed to come at the expense of smaller parties, including the Congress of the People, formed in 2008 to challenge the A.N.C., and the Inkatha Freedom Party, which is rooted in Mr. Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal and was once a powerful force there. The Congress of the People was likely to see its number of seats drop from 30 to 2, while the presence of the Inkatha Freedom Party could be halved, from 18 to 9, according to the projection. |
| Voter turnout was slightly more than 73 percent, the provisional results showed. The ballot was South Africa’s first election since the death in December of Nelson Mandela, who led the party to victory in the first democratic in election in 1994 but served only a single five-year term before stepping down in 1999. | Voter turnout was slightly more than 73 percent, the provisional results showed. The ballot was South Africa’s first election since the death in December of Nelson Mandela, who led the party to victory in the first democratic in election in 1994 but served only a single five-year term before stepping down in 1999. |
| South African analysts are also likely to focus on a provincial vote held at the same time as the national election on Wednesday in which the Democratic Alliance maintained its hold on the Western Cape, while other provinces remained under the control of the A.N.C. | South African analysts are also likely to focus on a provincial vote held at the same time as the national election on Wednesday in which the Democratic Alliance maintained its hold on the Western Cape, while other provinces remained under the control of the A.N.C. |
| A.N.C. officials, appearing on television throughout Thursday, seemed relieved at the outcome as a reaffirmation of the party’s enduring dominance. | A.N.C. officials, appearing on television throughout Thursday, seemed relieved at the outcome as a reaffirmation of the party’s enduring dominance. |
| A less resounding victory falling below the psychologically important level of 60 percent could have imperiled Mr. Zuma and caused much soul-searching within the party, which now faces a renewed challenge of redeeming promises to improve the lives of millions of South Africans living in townships and shanties where schools and services are poor and jobs are scarce. | A less resounding victory falling below the psychologically important level of 60 percent could have imperiled Mr. Zuma and caused much soul-searching within the party, which now faces a renewed challenge of redeeming promises to improve the lives of millions of South Africans living in townships and shanties where schools and services are poor and jobs are scarce. |
| “We are quite humbled by the confidence and trust our people have shown,” said Nomvula Mokonyane, an A.N.C. leader who is the premier of Gauteng, the populous province that includes Johannesburg and is the nation’s richest, according to the South African Press Association. | “We are quite humbled by the confidence and trust our people have shown,” said Nomvula Mokonyane, an A.N.C. leader who is the premier of Gauteng, the populous province that includes Johannesburg and is the nation’s richest, according to the South African Press Association. |
| Electoral officials said on Friday that a big turnout in Gauteng had led to delays in providing the results, which were among the last to be tallied. | Electoral officials said on Friday that a big turnout in Gauteng had led to delays in providing the results, which were among the last to be tallied. |
| An observer mission from the African Union said on Friday that its preliminary conclusion was that the elections were “free, fair, transparent and credible. | |
| “The elections were also peaceful,” the mission said, and reflected “the wishes and aspirations of South Africans.” |