President Mandela voted in Johannesburg knowing his popularity and place in history were assured. After voting for only the second time in a general election he said: "It's a wonderful feeling".

Early reports from across the country suggested a pattern of peaceful voting and few administrative delays.

Voters queued with the Mchenguville squatter camp in Soweto in the background.

After voting President Mandela visited the Independent Electoral Commission.

Two Johannesburg residents keep each other warm in the morning cold outside a voting station in Johannesburg

Long queues formed outside polling stations before sunrise.

Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president in waiting casts his vote in Pretoria.

Most voters were happy to wait in line for hours to exercise their democratic right to vote.

Voters who could not get to any of the 14,650 polling booths were allowed to vote in advance.

As in 1994 for the first all-race elections, queues of voters were long. But voters were good humoured, and party officials were not allowed to wear election hats and badges, to try to minimise the potential for disturbances.

To see the campaign in pictures click here.