The respective strong showings of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) in Wednesday's general elections may sharpen the cold war between the two parties in future, independent analyst Aubrey Matshiqi said on Thursday evening.

Provisional results out by 10:42 p.m. (2042 GMT) showed the ANC in the national lead with 69.73 percent, followed by the DA with 13.26 percent.

It appeared as if by the end of the vote tallying, the ANC would emerge with an "absolute majority of the majority" and the DA an "absolute majority of the minority," Matshiqi said at the elections results center in Pretoria.

"The question is what that kind of polarization portends for the future of the country," he said.

One would have a DA emboldened by its performance, and an ANC so dominant that it was likely to continue "not listening" to the opposition, Matshiqi said.

The analyst warned "this might sharpen the cold war between the ANC and the DA."

That could, in turn, lead to a situation where people who voted for the DA because they were unsatisfied with or fearful of the current dispensation would have their perceptions reinforced.

"The challenge here will be for the ANC to show leadership and be the one that enters into a conversation with all South Africans-- because there is life after the elections," Matshiqi said.

Opposition voters appear to have vindicated the DA's aggressive opposition tactics, he added.

About 20.6 million South Africans were registered to vote in the elections conducted Wednesday.

South African President Thabo Mbeki, head of the ANC, was among more than 8,000 candidates from 37 political parties to run for 400 seats of the national parliament and 434 seats of provincial legislatures.

The ANC, which came into power in 1994, currently holding 68.75percent, or 275 seats, of the National Assembly.

South Africa, with a population of 45 million, of whom 76.7 percent are blacks, practices an electoral system called proportional representation, under which, representation a party receives in the legislature is in proportion to the percentage of votes it obtains in the general elections. Voters cast their ballots for the legislature, before members of parliament elect president.

The vote for president this year is scheduled for April 23, when the newly elected 400-member National Assembly is sworn in.

Source: Xinhua