The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has estimated that 90% of the local government election results will be finalised by Tuesday evening, with final results expected to be announced by Thursday.

South Africans went to the polls on Monday to elect local government representatives.

The IEC reported that as at 10h30 on Tuesday morning, 27% of the 64 502 results expected had been finalised.

“This status is in line with expected result capturing process. It is estimated that 90% of results would be finalised by evening. The balance of 10% would take another 24 hours to complete,” said IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo.

He said the Northern Cape is leading with 74% of the results completed, followed by the Western Cape with 46% and the Free State with 26% of the results counted.

He added that the rest of the provinces' completion rates range between 15% and 37%.

The Commission said it believes that Voter Management Devices (VMD) were the mainstay equipment for this election.

Mamabolo explained that 12 186 869 voters’ details were processed through the VMD’s over the two days of special votes as well as on election day.

“Through the use of the technology, the Commission was able for the first time to register voters and simultaneously capture their addresses during the registration weekend in September. Address capturing would have taken months to complete without the VMD as was previously the case,” Mamabolo explained.

A total of 176 006 additional addresses were included on the voters roll from voters who previously did not have an address.

Meanwhile, the Commission also commented on the low voter turn-out, saying it this was despite educational programmes that assured voters that it would be safe to be at a voting station.

“The Commission would like to call upon all leaders of political parties to act and speak responsibly as the result collation process unfolds. As you will recall, the Commission had anticipated the prospect of a lower voter turnout already in July and approached the Constitutional Court,” Mamabolo said.

He said voter turnout is a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by different factors.