Early South Africa election results put ruling ANC below 50%

Early counts in South Africa’s national election put the long-ruling African National Congress on just over 42% of the vote, raising the possibility that it might lose its majority (Jerome Delay/AP)

Early counts in South Africa’s national election put the long-ruling African National Congress on just over 42% of the vote, raising the possibility that it might lose its majority for the first time since it swept to power under Nelson Mandela at the end of apartheid in 1994.

With just over 16% of votes counted and declared, it was only a partial picture after Wednesday’s election.