South Africa's ANC takes early lead in election

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South Africa's ruling ANC took a commanding lead in the early count of Wednesday's election as a new opposition party touted as a challenge failed to make significant headway.

With nearly 23,000 of a potential 23 million votes counted, the ANC had 53.6 percent support, while the new COPE party of ANC dissidents only took 8.7 percent.

The main opposition Democratic Alliance held 26 percent.