The ANC had secured almost 46% of the vote nationally by 8pm on Tuesday with the party having already won 42 municipalities and leading in another 59 of those counted.
The DA was sitting at 22.57% and won eight municipalities and in the lead in 18 others.
The EFF had garnered 9.86% nationally and was followed by the IFP with 4.48% and the Freedom Front Plus stood at 3.03%.
Early on Tuesday, the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) announced that by 10.30am 27% of the 64 502 expected results had been finalised and estimated that 90% of results would be completed by evening.
Among the country’s eight biggest municipalities, the ANC was in the lead in the City of Johannesburg with 37.36% followed by the DA with 21.56%.
New kid on the block, ActionSA, had just under 18% while the EFF was sitting on 12.5%.
In the City of Tshwane, the DA was in the lead with 40.37%, followed by the ANC with 28.7% and the Freedom Front Plus stood at 9.68% and the EFF with 9.35%.
ActionSA had secured just over 7% of the vote in the capital city.
In Ekurhuleni, the ANC’s lead was 36.85%, followed by the DA with 30.8% and the EFF had garnered 13.26%.
ActionSA had a 6.3% share of the vote and FF+ 3.73%.
In eThekwini, the ANC led with 48.31% followed by the DA with 24.35% while the EFF was sitting at 10.94 and the IFP had 5.61%.
In Mangaung, the ANC’s lead was 51.19% followed by the DA with 19.22% and the EFF with 11.73%.
The DA was in the lead in Cape Town with 60.89% while the ANC has garnered 14.74% of the vote while the Good Party and the Cape Coloured Congress were both above 4% and the EFF on 3.38%.
In Buffalo City the ANC led with 69.33% and the EFF second with 12.37% and 11.63% for the DA.
In Nelson Mandela Bay, the ANC was in pole position with 44.38%, the DA was sitting at 36.99% and the EFF had 7.3%.
The IEC announced that in the Northern Cape, 74 percent of the results had been completed followed by Western Cape at 46% and 26% in the Free State at 26%.
Other provinces had completion rate range between 15 and 37%.
The IEC urged political parties that contested Monday’s local government elections to act and speak responsibly as the result collation process unfolds.
On the low voter turnout, the commission said some of the elements that motivate voters to go cast their ballots were outside its purview such as disruptions to services and levels of trust in political institutions.
”Regrettably, unwarranted attacks on the commission could potentially also influence voter turnout,” the IEC stated.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za
Political Bureau