ANC celebrates landslide victory

Mbeki has promised not to let voters down

South African President Thabo Mbeki has thanked voters after a landslide victory for the African National Congress in general elections.

The ANC won just under 70% of the vote securing control of all but one province. The opposition Democratic Alliance were in second place with 12%.

Mr Mbeki called for "humility" as he addressed about 5,000 supporters at a celebration party in Johannesburg.

They cheered his pledge to keep the ANC's election promises.

Despite a two-thirds majority in parliament, Mr Mbeki says he has no intention of changing the constitution.

"It is quite clear that the ANC has got the overwhelming support and confidence of the people of South Africa," Mr Mbeki said.

"It also, I think, poses a challenge to the ANC not to disappoint the expectations of the millions of people who voted so overwhelmingly for the ANC."

"We must not allow the decisive mandate we have received from the people to encourage an attitude of arrogance among ourselves," Mr Mbeki told the partying crowd.

No surprises

Fears of apathy proved unfounded. There was a turnout of almost 77% among the 21 million registered voters.

This is down on the past two multi-racial elections, but still much higher than more established democracies.

RESULT SO FAR 1. ANC: 70% 2. DA: 12% 3. IFP: 7% 4. Others: 11% Votes counted: 90% Triumph of democracy

The ANC won seven of the nine provinces outright.

It also looks set to continue its control of Western Cape province in coalition with the New National Party (NNP).

However, it failed to secure an outright majority in KwaZulu-Natal, polling 46% to the Inkatha Freedom Party's 38% who may end up in a coalition with smaller parties. The IFP secured little support elsewhere in the country.

Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said his party's slight improvement on the last election meant this was a steady platform for growth.

But the BBC's Richard Hamilton in Pretoria says despite his party's efforts to woo black voters, his gains mainly came at the expense of other parties in what turned out to be a fragmented opposition.

The ruling party during the apartheid era, the New National Party, has seen its support drop dramatically, gaining only 1.7% of the vote.

Click here for a regional view of the results

The ANC says it managed to widen its appeal among non-black voters.

But the reality remains that all the opposition parties struggled to convince substantial numbers of black people to vote for them.

Future

The Independent Electoral Commission said voting passed off smoothly with only minor glitches.

South Africans share their feelings as they vote.

In pictures

Regional observers declared the elections free and fair.

The 400 newly elected MPs, in turn, will choose the president.

With the ANC securing another huge majority in parliament, President Thabo Mbeki will be sworn in for his second five-year term in office on 27 April, the day South Africa celebrates a decade of democracy.

ANC leaders say the overwhelming mandate shows that the ANC has been delivering services to the poor.

"The results show that people really appreciate what we have achieved in the last 10 years," ANC spokesman Steyn Speed said.

But Mr Mbeki has been widely criticised for his handling of HIV/Aids and high levels of poverty, unemployment and crime.

An editorial in Johannesburg's Star newspaper on Friday warned that "the trust voters have placed in the ANC should not be betrayed".

ELECTION RESULTS: REGIONAL VIEW

The ANC has a majority in all but two provinces:

KwaZulu-Natal: Inkatha Freedom Party secures 38% of the vote

Western Cape: Democratic Alliance secures 27% of the vote

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