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THE ANC has clinched the Eastern Cape but interim results released by the Independent Electoral Commission last night showed the ruling party had lost 10 percentage points since the last election.

Just after 8pm the provincial elections chief, the Reverend Bongani Finca, announced provisional results with only a few votes left to count.

The ANC captured 68.8 percent while Cope announced itself as the new official opposition in the province with 13.66 percent.

The DA came third with 10.3percent, while the UDM – the Eastern Cape’s former opposition party – lost badly and garnered a mere 4.04 percent.

With 99 percent of votes in the province counted, the IEC results indicated that the support for the ANC had nosedived from 79 percent in 2004.

Breakaway rival Cope had apparently snatched support from the ANC and UDM.

By late last night it was still unclear how many seats the parties would win in the Legislature but the ANC was assured of at least a two-thirds majority in Bhisho.

In an address at the provincial elections centre in East London’s Regent Hotel, Premier Mbulelo Sogoni hinted at the ANC’s lost support when he congratulated the opposition parties.

He was also magnanimous in victory, saying the election had nothing to do with numbers but was about all parties working together for the citizens of the province.

“It was a bruising campaign and we are glad it has come to an end. What is left for us is to implement programmes of government … it is time now to work together for the interest of the Eastern Cape.”

ANC members and supporters then filed out of the hotel and held an impromptu celebration on the steps.

With the ANC showing its dominance early in the day interest fell on the battle for opposition status between Cope and the DA. The newcomers eventually triumphed.

Cope provincial executive member Siphatho Handi said his party had outdone itself. “The performance is extremely good … We are extremely proud of ourselves and we achieved what we wanted to achieve.”

Cope had hoped to dislodge the ANC from power in the province and was even prepared to enter into a coalition with other parties.

“We are happy with the position we stand in because, as the new kid on the block, we are to be the official opposition in the Eastern Cape. We have beaten DA by far, but this is precisely what we aimed for.”

UDM provincial secretary Wandile Tsipa thanked their supporters and suggested the stiff contest his party faced was partly due to the arrival on the scene of Cope.

“The emergence of Cope did provide challenges to the political scenario and that affected us,” Tsipa said.

Announcing the closure of the operations centre in front of party leaders and tired officials, Finca said the few voting districts still to be captured could marginally alter the results , but the ANC had been given a clear mandate to govern the Eastern Cape. “These results are to be slightly affected by voting districts that are being finalised,” he said.

Earlier, Finca told the media that the voter turnout was around 78 percent of the more than three million people registered.

“We are confident that the Eastern Cape will reach the 80percent mark and possibly exceed it,” Finca said.

He said this year’s unprecedented voter turn out was reminiscent of the country’s first democratic election s.

“The election reminded us of the liberation poll of 1994 with long winding queues at almost every voting station.”

He also said the elections were characterised by energy and robust contests.

“The campaigning was fierce but generally peaceful,” he said.

“The atmosphere was calm and peaceful overall although this has been marred by the death by shooting yesterday of the Cope leader in the Nelson Mandela Metro.” - By MSIMELELO NJWABANE and MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA