SEVEN major opposition political parties in Mpumalanga banded together on Thursday to create a multi-party forum to co-ordinate election campaigns and monitoring. The initiative, spearheaded by the Institute for Political Leadership, should allow opposition parties to pool resources and staff to monitor voting polls and election rallies, and to attempt to ensure that the ruling African National Congress doesn’t use state resources for party political purposes. IPL director Jenny Malan. The forum will allow any interested parties to join at any stage. Current members include the New National Party, Federal Alliance, Freedom Forum, Democratic Party, Inkatha Freedom Party and African Christian Democratic Party.