The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and Louis Luyt’s minuscule Federal Alliance (FA) have amalgamated, party leaders announced on Friday.
At the same time, Luyt also announced his retirement from active politics at the end of September.
Luyt and FF+ leader Pieter Mulder agreed in separate statements greater cooperation between opposition parties was the only way to challenge the African National Congress (ANC).
In Cape Town, the FF+ — together with other opposition parties — had demonstrated how the ANC could be beaten if opposition parties worked together in a responsible manner, Mulder said.
”This can be repeated in future elections in more city councils and in certain provinces,” he said.
Luyt said politics in South Africa should be aimed at amalgamating opposition parties, or, at worst, calculated cooperation.
Nothing was gained by fragmenting votes, he said.
The FF+ and FA had already signed a cooperation agreement in February this year. — Sapa