South Africa heads to the polls

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s 90 year-old former leader was among those voting in what is likely to be the country’s most competitive general election since the end of apartheid in 1994. Many of the new voters are young people who have little memory of the struggle to end white minority rule, which brought the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to power.

The ANC – led by Jacob Zuma – is expected to win, but it could lose its two-thirds majority in parliament, which allows it to change the constitution. Among its rivals is a new party - Congress of the People (Cope) - formed last year by a group who split from the ANC after Mr Mandela’s successor as president, Thabo Mbeki was replaced as leader. Some 20,000 polling stations are being used for more than 23 million registered voters. Polls close this evening.

Mr Zuma has survived corruption and sex scandals to lead the African National Congress towards what is expected to be an overwhelming victory, promising to bring “visible change" to improve the lives of the country’s black majority. Samuel Kekana, 46, a security guard, was among the early risers lining up to vote in Soweto. He said he would vote for the ANC, crediting it with building schools and houses and improving education since taking power in 1994. Mr Kekana told The Times newspaper that he had voted in the first multiracial ballot in 1994 and in every election since.“This is an opportunity for us to make our mark,” he said. “I didn’t want to miss this.”

The governing party has been accused of moving too slowly over the past 15 years to improve the lives of South Africa’s black majority. During the campaign, the ANC has stressed its commitment to creating jobs and a stronger social safety net for the nation of nearly 50 million, which is plagued by poverty, unemployment and an Aids epidemic.

A frail-looking Mr Mandela, was aided to the ballot box by a local official and smiled broadly after voting. Mr Mandela, who is largely retired from public life, appeared alongside Mr Zuma at a rally in Johannesburg on Sunday that drew more than 100,000 people.

Mr Mbeki was forced to step down as president last year after he was defeated by Mr Zuma in a bitter struggle for the ANC leadership. Mr Mbeki appeared relaxed as he cast his ballot early in Johannesburg, joking with a reporter who asked which party he had voted for that the question was "unconstitutional", according to the South African Press Association.

By Hayley Jarvis for SOS Children