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The Congress of South African Trade Unions congratulated South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress on its recent victory in the country's municipal elections, but stressed that the ANC’s worst election loss since coming to power is no coincidence.

In a press statement Monday, COSATU said that they were pleased that the ANC was the majority party, but were “concerned that we have not been able to attain outright majority in three municipalities.”

COSATU is a historic ally of the ANC, forming part of the "Tripartite Alliance," along with the South African Communist Party during and after the struggle against the apartheid regime.

Founded in 1985, COSATU is the largest of the country’s three main federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions and a membership of 1.8 million workers.

The Congress referred to the local government elections as “the most difficult and strenuous period in the history of our liberation.”

The ANC suffered its worst electoral setbacks since the end of apartheid, losing control of two strongholds in the capital of Pretoria and the Eastern Cape region of Nelson Mandela Bay, while narrowly maintaining control of Johannesburg.

COSATU viewed the ANC losses as a “protest” from members and supporters, saying that it created a “need to prioritize a program of listening to this loud voice of the people,” the press statement read.

Sizwe Pamla, COSATU spokesperson, cited a number of factors that led to the ANC setback including corruption allegations against President Jacob Zuma, involving US$16 million in home renovations using public money and “internal factional battles.”

The economy and unemployment were big issues during the elections with the country experiencing more than 30 percent of real unemployment, while the cost of living is on the increase.

“The people have given the ANC a clear mandate to accelerate service delivery and intensify the fight against corruption at all levels,” said the statement.

The ANC lost the two major cities to the Democratic Alliance, that won 27 percent of the overall vote. The Radical Freedom Fighters won 8 percent of the overall vote in its maiden local election.

The trade union federation warned its supporters of “the DA’s anti-worker and anti-union policies” in its newly-elected municipalities.

The DA was founded by liberal members of the former National Party, which is responsible for creating apartheid. Only last year did the DA elect its first Black leader, Mmusi Maimane.

The ANC will be forced to form a coalition government with the DA in some provinces where it did not win a clear majority, provinces that it won overwhelmingly in past elections, sometimes with margins approaching 75 percent.