Maimane's BOSA merges with PPM ahead of local government elections

Build One South Africa (BOSA) has announced a formal merger with the People's Prosperity Movement (PPM) to contest the upcoming local government elections.

The parties said their merger will go a long way in consolidating what they call "reform-minded political forces" ahead of the local polls later this year.

BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane and PPM leader Chad Louw announced the merger in Parliament on Tuesday.

Maimane said the merger agreement will see the "full incorporation of PPM into BOSA" through a structured integration of leadership, membership, systems and programmes.

He added that following the merger, the smaller PPM will cease to exist as a standalone political entity and will operate entirely within BOSA's national framework.

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The parties said the plan has been months in the making and have now signed a memorandum of understanding.

"It is in many ways a formal merger, different to a collaboration because ultimately that will mean is that all the structures and all the operations of PPM will become part of BOSA and will become part of the political force of BOSA heading towards the local government elections," said Maimane.

PPM leader Chad Louw, a former ANC and Patriotic Alliance member, said the two parties are a good fit.

"We’ve embarked on this journey, and definitely, I must say that we have found that synergy between the leaders of both PPM and the leaders of BOSA," said Louw.

The merger between the two parties follows a similar plan involving BOSA, Rise Mzansi and the Good Party to collaborate under one banner for the elections, but that plan has been postponed until after the elections.