PRETORIA: South Africa’s long-dominant governing party was racing against itself on Friday, leaving its opponents far behind and closing in on its goal of doing as well or better than in the last elections. The African National Congress (ANC) swept the first post-apartheid election in 1994 and the two following that. In 2004, it took 69.69 per cent of the parliamentary vote. If the ANC fails to at least match that this year, it will be seen as a message from voters that they want to see some limits on the party. A two-thirds majority allows the ANC to enact major budgetary plans or legislation unchallenged, or to change the constitution. Zuma told several thousand supporters gathered on a blocked-off street outside his party’s downtown Johannesburg headquarters yesterday that sceptics who had said the ANC wouldn’t get 60 per cent of the parliamentary vote now “are saying 70.” As of early today, preliminary results from the 12.63 million ballots counted so far from Wednesday’s election showed Jacob Zuma’s ANC leading the vote with 66.90 per cent. Parliament elects South Africa’s president by a simple majority, putting Zuma in line for the post when the new assembly votes in May. The largely white opposition Democratic Alliance, according to the preliminary count, had 15.91 per cent. The Congress of the People - formed by a breakaway faction of the ANC last year - was trailing with 7.66 percent in preliminary results. A record 23 million South Africans registered to vote. A 77 percent turnout has been recorded at those polling stations where counting has finished. Final results were expected later Friday. But last night, ANC leaders and supporters danced and drank champagne in downtown Johannesburg.