Pretoria - By midday on Friday 97.62 percent of the national vote in the fifth democratic elections had been counted.
According to the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC), 21 734 of the 22 263 voting districts had been counted.
Out of the 17 788 485 votes counted so far 17 546 070 were valid.
Nationally there were 24 269 962 people registered.
The African National Congress was leading with more than 10 million votes so far, 62.26 percent.
The Democratic Alliance was in second spot with 3 889 949 (22.17 percent), and newcomer the Econonic Freedom Fighters was third with just over a million votes.
Sapa