Reported by BBC World
South Africans are voting in highly contested local elections likely to see a haemorrhaging of votes for the country's biggest party, the African National Congress (ANC).
This year's voting season has been marked by intense campaigns that have included politicians spinning cars, watching grannies knit and even wading through giant-sized potholes.
Leaders are campaigning to head South Africa's nearly 300 municipalities, responsible for basic service provision such as water, electricity and refuse collection.
More from the original report
For the ANC, the elections are a chance to prove it still has what it takes to govern. The party had a disastrous showing in the last national election, when it lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994 when the racist apartheid system ended.
Support for the party has been dropping significantly over the years because of anger over high levels of corruption, unemployment and crime.
At its peak, in 2004, the ANC got 70% of the vote in the general election. Two decades later its share dropped to 40%.
Polls and pundits have predicted a further loss in these elections but President Cyril Ramaphosa has denied that his party was in a downward spiral.
"What I'm seeing here is that the ANC is going higher and higher and on the 4th [of November] we will show those naysayers," he told supporters at the party's final election rally on Sunday.
In townships like Alexandra, north-east of Johannesburg, the ANC has traditionally had a strong supporter base but poor governance and voter apathy are unravelling this support.
The BBC visited the sprawling township a week before the elections and spoke to residents to get their views. One of them was Sanele Ntombela, who is a first-time voter excited to make his voice heard.
Sanele Ntombela (left), seen here with his friends Tshiamo Mbange (centre) and Lwandle Dladla, is excited to cast his vote
We found the 18-year-old hanging out with his friends on a street corner. Most of his friends said they had no intention of voting and had not registered to do so.
They cited a lack of change and deteriorating delivery of basic…