South Africa's ruling African National Congress has claimed victory in a general election that will make party leader Jacob Zuma president.
With the ANC holding 66.28% of the vote after more than 90% of ballots were counted, it was just short of the two-thirds majority it needs to change the constitution.
'The ANC has been given a clear and resounding mandate,' senior party official Matthews Phosa told thousands of cheering supporters at a victory party in Johannesburg.
Despite the failure of a party of ANC dissidents to make a dramatic impact, the ANC had less than the nearly 70% of the vote it won in 2004 and appeared to have lost control of the Western Cape province.
A reinvigorated opposition had hoped to at least curb the majority to below two-thirds, but for many voters the ANC's credentials from the fight against white minority rule still outweigh its failure to tackle crime, poverty and AIDS.
The ANC's closest rival was the Democratic Alliance (DA) with almost 16.2 %.
The Congress of the People (COPE), formed by politicians who broke from the ruling party, won just under 7.5%.
The DA pulled ahead of the ANC in the Western Cape province, which is currently controlled by the ANC.
The 67-year-old Mr Zuma will become president only three weeks after managing to get prosecutors to drop an eight-year-old corruption case on a technicality.
Election officials estimated the turnout at over 76%, the same as in 2004.
Observers from the 15-nation Southern African Development Community and African Union said the election was free and fair.
Final results are expected later tonight.
South African newspapers said that Mr Zuma was undoubtedly the next president but that he had Nelson Mandela's legacy to uphold and massive challenges ahead.
