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ANC MP Thaba Mufamadi says local capital needs to be used to drive infrastructure. Photo: Phill Magakoe

The ANC on Thursday welcomed the by-election results, saying its loss of two wards to the opposition in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal was an “unavoidable setback.”

“We were not successful in a ward held by the IFP in Ulundi which they retained and we lost a ward in Polokwane to DA which was caused by the re-demarcation,” said party spokesman Jackson Mthembu in a statement.

“Despite that set-back which was unavoidable, the ANC is proving to be the people's choice hence our ability to retain our constituencies' support.”

Mthembu said the party would in time reverse the loss to the Democratic Alliance.

By-elections, in which the African National Congress managed to secure five of seven wards, were held on Wednesday in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the Free State and Limpopo.

“The ANC remains committed to effective service delivery and accountable governance at all levels. We want to thank our people for having shown confidence in our abilities and re-affirming us with their votes,” he said.

The DA was celebrating earlier on Thursday after winning a fourth ward from the ANC since last year’s local government elections.

DA leader Helen Zille said the victory in Limpopo's ward 20 was “significant”.

“The DA's share of the vote in this ward grew from 31.19 percent in 2009, to 41.07 percent in 2011 and to 62.87 percent in yesterday's 1/8Wednesday's 3/8 election” said Zille.

She said the DA had shown “significant gains in support” in wards 28 and 80 in Tshwane, losing the previously “safe” ANC seat in ward 80 by just nine votes.

While the DA received 27.67 percent of the vote in the ward during last year’s elections, it got 48.76 percent in the by-election on Wednesday, she said.

IFP spokesman Sbu Nkwanyana said the seat it retained in Ulundi had been strongly contested by both the ANC and the National Freedom Party.

The seat became vacant ward when IFP councillor Muzi Ndwandwe died under mysterious circumstances. He disappeared one night and his body was found near a dam, with some of his body parts missing.

Nkwanyana said the election results showed the IFP, with its limited resources, could defeat the “ANC and the NFP combined”.

The NFP and ANC formed coalitions in nearly 20 municipalities where there was no outright majority after the last local government elections.

“It certainly is a sweet victory considering all the resources and time that both the NFP and the ANC invested in this ward,” said Nkwanyana.

The new councillor was Sindisiwe Khumalo, he said. - Sapa