The African National Congress has easily won South Africa's general election but its share of the vote fell, reflecting anger at corruption scandals and entrenched racial inequalities.
It was the worst electoral performance by the late Nelson Mandela's former liberation movement, which has governed South Africa since the country's first free election marked the end of white minority rule in 1994.
The ANC had not previously won less than 60 per cent of the vote in a national poll.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has won another term as the ANC were returned to power. Source: AAP
The ANC's victory secures it enough seats in parliament to give President Cyril Ramaphosa another five-year term in office but may leave him short of ammunition to battle party rivals who oppose his reforms to galvanise the economy and counter graft.
"Let us now work together, black and white, men and women, young and old, to build a South Africa that truly belongs to all that live in it," Ramaphosa said in a speech after his party was declared the winner on Saturday.
A young girl accompanies a relative as she casts her vote at a polling station in Johannesburg, Source: AAP
Results showed the ANC secured 57.5 per cent of the parliamentary vote, while the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance DA, also saw its vote share fall.
The DA picked up 20.8 per cent and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters took 10.8 per cent, the Independent Electoral Commission said on its website.
In 2014, the ANC won 62 per cent of votes, the DA 22 per cent and the EFF 6 per cent.
President Cyril Ramaphosa greets supporters earlier this week. Source: AAP
The turnout for Wednesday's vote was markedly lower than at the last election in 2014, falling to 66 per cent from 73.5 per cent, the electoral commission said.
The ANC's seats in the 400-member parliament fell to 230 from 249. The DA also saw its number of seats fall to 84 from 89, while the EFF gained 19 seats to 44. South Africa uses a system of proportional representation.
