Bitter election rivals the African National Congress (ANC) and the Congress of the People (Cope) were able to share a few jokes at the Eastern Cape's final election results press conference in East London on Thursday night, with both promising to work together to cure the province's ills.

"This was a bruising campaign by all of us," said the ANC's Premier Mbulelo Sogoni.

"But now it has come to an end. Now we have to ask how do we pick up the pieces and work together in the development of the Eastern Cape."

Sogoni was speaking shortly before an announcement that the ANC had won the Eastern Cape with 69,62% of the vote - 1,45-million votes - and that Cope, with 13,15%, would be the province's new official opposition.

Cope leader Mvumve Dandala recently predicted that his party would win the province in the election.

Both parties had launched their election manifestos in the Eastern Cape. Cope and ANC leaders exchanged vicious jibes during their campaigns.

But Cope official Siphoto Handi said at the press conference there was "nothing personal" with the ANC.

"We all entered the competition to improve service delivery in the province," he said.

While Handi was talking someone in the audience shouted: "What about Cope tearing down ANC posters."

Handi replied to laughter: "We apologise for everything that happened."

When the press conference ended dozens of ANC members left the results centre at a beachfront hotel and started an impromptu dance party outside.

DA leader Athol Trollip told Sapa afterwards that he was disappointed at losing the official opposition status to Cope.

The DA received 10,29% of the province's vote.

He said he was thrilled however that his party's support had grown by three percent in the province.

"I am pleased especially that we shown strong growth in the townships and in the Transkei," Trollip said.

The DA had had also grown its support among the coloured community in the province.

"It is very encouraging that the coloured communities came out to vote for the DA. Traditionally they feel very marginalised and very lethargic about voting, but this time they came out and voted in numbers."

Trollip said he hoped to steal voters from Cope in the coming years.

"Cope voters must be up for grabs. The party has cut off its political umbilical cord. Unless Cope comes up with something different to the ANC the voters will move away."

He said the fact that the ANC had lost 10% of its support in the Eastern Cape would make it politically vulnerable.

"Once a party starts to slide, it is very difficult to stop that slide. You need only ask the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the Independent Democrats (ID) about that."

The UDM, also once an official opposition party in the province, received 3,89% of the vote.