The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has announced that it will release provisional results of the May 29 elections at 6pm local time (1800hrs GMT) on Sunday.
With over 99% of the votes tallied, the ruling party, African National Congress (ANC), got 40.2% of the vote to fall short of the parliamentary majority for the first time ever.
Opposition party the Democratic Alliance (DA) came second with 21.8% of the vote, followed by former President Jacob Zuma's party uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) at 14.6%.
The Economic Freedom Fighters party (EFF) polled fourth with 9.4% of the vote. EFF says it is ready for coalition talks with ANC.
Zuma disputes outcome
Zuma has since called for postponement of election results by the IEC, saying there are various unresolved disputes over the outcome.
Speaking to journalists at Midrand town in Gauteng province on Saturday, Zuma said: "We are going to need time (for our grievances to be addressed), nobody should declare results tomorrow (Sunday). I am hoping whoever is responsible is hearing what we are saying. Don't start trouble where there is no trouble."
Zuma alleges that there was vote-rigging in favour of ANC.
His party's officials allege that the malpractices include interference with the electoral agency's IT system when it had technical glitches on Saturday.
IEC confirms election result objections
The IEC said it had received a total of 579 election result contestations from voters and political parties, adding that it would address all the complaints ahead of result announcement on Sunday.
ANC would be forced to enter a coalition arrangement with other parties, given that South Africa's constitution demands that a party must have at least 50% of parliamentary seats to form government by itself.
There are 400 seats in South Africa's National Assembly. For a presidential candidate to be declared the winner, he or she must get at least 201 parliamentary votes.
The presidential election, which has attracted the incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa of ANC and DA's John Steenhuisen, will be held within a month of declaration of official results by IEC.
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