DA clinches Nelson Mandela Metro – final count

With 100% of voting districts declared, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has clinched the Nelson Mandela Bay metro with 46.71% of the votes.

The race for control of the metro, situated in the Eastern Cape, dominated campaigns. Both the ANC and the DA were pushing hard to claim victory for the industrial heartland of the Eastern Cape, which boasts automotive industries.

By 1pm on Friday, IEC data showed that the DA claimed 355 471 votes which make up for 46.71%, the ANC claimed 311 416 votes (40.92%) and the new party on the block, EFF took 38 951 votes (5.12%).

This means that the DA will take about 57 seats and the ANC will take 50 seats.

There were over 580 000 registered voters in the metro.

In 2011, the ANC won the metro with 51.91%, DA with 40.13%, while in 2006 ANC had won with 66.53% and the DA with 24.39%.

With vote counting entering day two, votes are trickling in. The IEC has predicted that all results would be finalised by Friday evening. As of Friday morning, 91% of result slips had been captured, scanned and audited.

While the race remains close in hotly-contested metros Johannesburg and Tshwane, neither the DA nor ANC look like they will take a majority.

With 70% votes concluded in Tshwane, the DA was leading with 44.35% by noon on Friday.

The ANC was close on their heels with 41.07% while the EFF had 10.45%.

In Johannesburg, with 71% votes counted, the ANC stood at 45.06% and the DA at 41.48%.

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