Durban:
South Africans on Wednesday thronged polling booths to cast their ballots in the fourth multi-racial polls since the end of apartheid in 1994, with controversial but hugely popular ANC leader Jacob Zuma, who has overcome sex and corruption scandals, expected to be installed as President.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) hopes to maintain its two-thirds parliamentary majority as opinion polls project that it will win about 55 to 60 per cent votes.
67-year-old Zuma, whose party is facing a challenge from a splinter group set up by supporters of his rival ex-president Thabo Mbeki, is expected to win handsomely. He has vowed to bring "visible change" that will improve the lives of blacks in the country.
Zuma, the son of a housekeeper, voted at a polling booth in a primary school at his home town of Nkandla in northern KwaZulu-Natal province.
He said the ANC had worked very hard to ensure that they do well in the elections. "We need a strong ANC Government," he told hundreds of cheering supporters.
Tens of thousands of South Africans lined up outside the polling booths before the sunrise itself despite the ongoing high-profile IPL tournament which was shifted from India in view of the general elections there. South Africa has a total of 23 million registered voters.
"I am voting for change," said a voter at a polling booth here.