More than four-million votes had been counted by 10:30 on Thursday, according to the latest results at the election centre in Pretoria.

The African National Congress (ANC) had 2 687 044 votes thus far, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) trailing with 784 392 votes followed by the Congress of the People (Cope) with 319 807 votes.

The number counted is around 18% of the 23 181 997 voters registered to take part in Wednesday's polls.

It is not yet known how many votes were cast.

The Inkatha Freedom Party was in fourth place with 110 707 of the votes, with the Independent Democrats following with 69 555 votes.

Tailing the list was the A Party with 721 votes nationally preceded by Women Forward with 978 votes.

Both parties are new on the South African political landscape, contesting elections for the first time in 2009.

Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral Commission was meeting political parties at the Pretoria base.

Leaders of political parties had visited the centre at the Tshwane Show Grounds including DA leader Helen Zille and party CE Ryan Coetzee, as well as ANC secretary-general Gwede
Mantashe.

African Christian Democratic Party leader Reverend Kenneth
Meshoe was expected to visit the centre at around 11:00.