Polls have shut in South Africa's elections, widely seen as a test for the ruling ANC.
The party is forecast to have a reduced majority following anger over the economy and land reform.
Casting his vote in the country's sixth democratic national election since apartheid ended 25 years ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa apologised.
He said South Africa would "never again" see the "rampant corruption" of recent years.
"We have made mistakes but we have been sorry about those mistakes and we are saying our people should reinvest their confidence in us," Mr Ramaphosa said.
"Corruption got into the way, patronage got into the way and not focusing on the needs of our people got in the way," he added.
The African National Congress (ANC), which led the fight against apartheid, has governed the country since 1994. The centrist Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are its main challengers.
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