Several of SA's newest political parties are in talks aimed at bringing about a merger, or at the very least, a coalition to contest the 2009 election.

The National Democratic Convention (Nadeco), the African Peoples Convention (APC), the Peace and Development Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have held talks with each other during the past two months, the Nadeco and APC leadership said.

While details of the talks were not immediately available, Nadeco secretary general Vincent Ngema said on Tuesday that his party had been in talks with the PDP, the SDP and the APC.

The most recent of these talks took place in Durban on Sunday with the APC, which was formed earlier this year during the recent floor-crossing period.

Ngema said: "The aim is to explore the possibility of a merger between the two parties (Nadeco and APC). Two months ago we had talks with the PDP and we have had talks with the Social Democrats."

He said that the APC and Nadeco had agreed on Sunday to form a joint committee to continue negotiations. It was agreed where both parties were represented at national, provincial and municipal levels, there would be a joint caucus.Ngema said it was hoped that merger talks would be concluded by the end of March 2008 to allow time for the new party to prepare for the 2009 general election.

APC secretary general Malesela Ledwa confirmed the talks.
"Our main priority is to form a front to contest the 2009 election." He said that the task team set up by Nadeco and the APC would have to decide whether the best way to contest the election was as a coalition or as a merged party.

He said the APC had also been holding informal talks with the Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa (DPSA) and the Limpopo based Ximoko Party (XP).

DPSA chairman Moeketsi Lebesa confirmed that the his party had been approached by the APC, but that the party's executive had decided against cooperating with the APC. "We are against floor crossing. How can we then join a party that comes about from floor crossing? They must first contest the 2009 election and be voted for by the people."
He said the DPSA had previously had a pact with the PAC to support it at a national level.

Most of the APC membership are former PAC members, while Nadeco was formed from dissatisfied Inkatha Freedom Party supporters during the 2005 floor-crossing session. Ximoko Party president Alfred Mabunda said the party had been
approached by the APC, but that no merger was possible. "They approached us. They are looking for a merger, not a
relationship. It is not accepted," he said.

Several of Nadeco's councillors have attempted to leave the party during the most recent floor-crossing period to join former leader Ziba Jiyane in his newly formed African Democratic Congress.

The DPSA is a Free State Party and is the official opposition in the Maluti a Phofung municipality (which includes the towns of Harrismith and Phuthadithjaba) and it has one councillor in Mangaung municipality.