South Africans vote on Wednesday to elect a new parliament in what could be a crucial election.
The elections are seen as the most significant since freedom fighter and later president Nelson Mandela led the country to democracy in 1994.
The African National Congress (ANC), which has continuously governed South Africa since the end of apartheid, is at risk of losing its absolute majority for the first time since then.
Opinion polls suggest the ANC will fall below 50% and will have to form a coalition.
President Cyril Ramaphosa voted in Soweto, a township on the outskirts of Johannesburg. “I have no doubt in my heart that the people will give the African National Congress another chance,” he said.
“Every vote counts today,” said former president Kgalema Mothlanthe.
Elsewhere, long queues formed outside polling stations in many parts of the country, indicating high turnout, according to the National Electoral Commission.
Despite short delays at some polling stations and isolated protests and attempts to obstruct the work of electoral authority staff, the elections were largely peaceful and ran smoothly, the official said.
The biggest competition for the ANC is the liberal Democratic Alliance (DA), which already governs the Western Cape at national level.
The Marxist-influenced Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, led by former ANC youth organization president Julius Malema, is also gaining votes from the ANC.
Another newcomer party is also rapidly gaining popularity, namely the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, led by former president Jacob Zuma.
Results are expected on Sunday.
The reason for the ANC’s predictably weaker performance in the country of 61 million people is poor government performance.
South Africa struggles with a weakened economy, high unemployment and poverty, struggling state-owned enterprises, regular power cuts and water supply failures, a crumbling healthcare system, as well as high crime rates and a dysfunctional criminal justice.
Members of 52 parties compete for the 400 seats in parliament.
New provincial governments will also be elected. Of the 40.1 million eligible voters, 27.4 million, or about 68%, registered to vote.
The polls opened at 7am (05am GMT) and close at 9pm. The newly elected parliament must then form a government and elect a president within 14 days.
According to the constitution, the president is appointed by parliament and not directly elected.
The elections are expected to have a broader impact, as South Africa is the continent’s largest economy and plays a key political role.
Known as the “gateway to Africa”, it is seen as providing access to a continent that is of growing global importance thanks to rich deposits of raw materials needed for energy transitions around the world.
Although South Africa maintains good relations with Western countries, the government also has close ties with Russia and China.
South Africa is also taking a strong pro-Palestinian stance on the Gaza war, having brought legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice for genocide in the Gaza Strip.
