THE IFP has blamed internal problems for its dismal performance in Wednesday's municipal by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal.

THE IFP has blamed internal problems for its dismal performance in Wednesday's municipal by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal.

There were four by-elections in the province, all won by the ANC.

The ANC also won the closely monitored two by-elections in Newcastle, which is likely to have a bearing on who controls the district municipality.

IFP provincial secretary Bonginkosi Buthelezi confessed that internal problems could have led to the dreadful performance.

He also alleged that the ANC had distributed food parcels four days before the elections.

"But at the same time we as a party will have to do a postmortem," Buthelezi said.

"There could be internal problems we will have to look at before we can point fingers."

Buthelezi said the IFP had agreed, after the national general elections on Operation Vukuzithathe.

"The operation is a comprehensive strategy that all leaders agreed on going forward, but the problem has been the implementation," he said.

"It gives guidance and direction on how we go forward as a party, looking particularly at local government elections in 2011."

Meanwhile, the national council of the IFP is expected to meet in Ulundi tomorrow and Sunday.