There could be one united opposition party contesting next year?s local government elections.

Opposition party leaders have discussing how best to consolidate their support.

The Independent Democrats (ID) paved the way by inviting Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader Helen Zille and the Congress of the People?s (Cope) Mosiuoa Lekota to its national conference at the weekend.

ID leader Patricia de Lille said one opposition party was the only way they would be able to govern.

?Let us unite and discard out our current weaknesses. Let us provide South Africans with an opposition force that can have a realistic opportunity of taking over national government in the near future,? she said.

Political Analyst Harold Pakendorf believes this could be a disastrous move.

?If they?re going for a merger I don?t think that?s a particularly good idea. They have separate identities and would really be much better just to keep those identities; and not oppose each other that would be the key to it.?

The DA said it still needed to consult its membership.

Zille said they must advance opposition politics.

?It?s not good enough to be an opposition party; you have to be able to win. We?ve already started winning and in many local authorities and in a whole province. Now we must take it a next step, South Africa has to win.?