With 97.6 percent of the votes counted in South Africa by 20:00 GMT on Friday, vote counting would be completed by midnight according to the Independent Election Commission (IEC).
Giving an update on the possible declaration of the final results on Friday night, IEC Chairperson Glen Mashinini said the commission has no intention to keep the country in suspense.
“According to the Electoral Act, the CEO is responsible to conduct the elections and deliver the outcomes.
“The commissioners independently and as individual independent commissioners will then apply themselves and take into context all the various objections and complaints received.
“We have not yet finalised that particular process but we intend without waste of any further time to discharge our responsibility as we are required by our laws. As matters stand, the plans continue on those basis,” he said.
Mashinini said this as South Africans await the final results of the sixth General National and Provincial Elections, which are currently being led by the ruling African National Congress (57%), Democratic Alliance (22%) and Economic Freedom Fighters (10%).
NM/APA