Vote counting has begun in stations where all voters have cast their ballots, in a poll described as possibly the most important since the dawn of democracy in South Africa.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says the vote count takes place under the close watch of domestic and international observers as well as party agents.
IEC officials first check the seals of ballot boxes and open them.
They then reconcile them with those issued and then start the process of counting.
Votes for a single party are counted twice to ensure accuracy.
Results slips are then signed by party agents who, the IEC says, it encourages to record the numbers reflected.
The slips are then posted on the door of the relevant voting station, while the other is taken to an IEC office to be entered into the result system.
Once the final results are posted – ballots are kept for at least six months in case there are objections.
The first outcomes for the 2019 general polls will be from voting stations where there was a small voter turnout.
The IEC says they should start reflecting on its results system before midnight on Wednesday.
