Jose Matemulane, president of AFRIC, said they would be deploying observers from 13 countries in all nine South African provinces. 

He said that this election was not only important for the South African electorate, but key for other countries as well because of South Africa's position as a trading partner and its ability to attract foreign direct investment. 

"The Republic of South Africa is considered the most democratic country on the continent, the election observation mission is also aimed at understanding the political process and culture being developed in the country since 1994," he said. 

Matemulane expressed faith in the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the transparency of the electoral process. 

AFRIC is a pan-African community of independent researchers, experts and activists. The organisation has observed elections in Madagascar, Zimbabwe, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo since it was established in April last year.  

In the run-up to the election, AFRIC conducted two waves of polls which showed that the African National Congress (ANC) was still enjoying majority support in the country while the Democratic Alliance (DA) may suffer the biggest loss in these elections.

Clifton Ellis, AFRIC coordinator, said that the South African election was important in African politics and for strengthening democracy on the whole continent. 

"South Africa is a leading country in terms of transparency and its electoral process. It is important to understand where African democracy is going and how it has evolved," Ellis said. 

"What makes this mission easier than other countries we have observed is that there is easy access to information in South Africa. If South Africa succeeds it will put pressure to other African leaders to emulate the process."

Ellis said that they would be paying particular attention to areas like Alexandra township where sporadic service delivery protests erupted weeks ahead of the election.

ANA