THE Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has extended an olive branch to IFP members, calling on them to "ditch the falling" party and join the DA so they could strengthen opposition to the ANC

DA provincial leader Sizwe Mchunu said yesterday his party was the only alternative to the ANC. He said it was dangerous for the province and the country to slide into a one-party state and that a strong opposition was needed to keep the ruling party on its toes.

"The IFP is falling to pieces, demonstrating its willingness to maintain the old order at the expense of significant numbers of its supporters," he said.

"The DA anticipates that a large number of IFP voters, being denied internal political change, will be seeking a new political home. We will be positioning our party as that home."

Mchunu said it was an honour to be leading an organisation like the DA.

"Every day we break through into new communities."

He said unlike other parties paralysed by faction fighting, the DA was built upon a "firm foundation of liberal democracy and a binding commitment to the Constitution".

"Already there are a number of areas where the DA is poised to deliver stunning defeats to the ANC and IFP as a result of our work to deliver to the people," he said.

IFP national organiser Albert Mncwango said the DA's call was misdirected. "I think they are misjudging the situation. The IFP is not falling apart."