DLA Piper's South African ally, Cliffe Dekker, is planning to merge with local rival Hofmeyr Herbstein & Gihwala, creating one of the largest law firms in South Africa.

The firms, which will merge subject to regulatory approval, will operate as Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr from September this year and will have 127 partners split between Johannesburg and Cape Town. The two firms are roughly the same size by partner numbers with Cliffe Dekker contributing 65 partners and 62 hailing from Hofmeyr.

DLA Piper will continue its exclusive relationship, initially formed in 2005, with the merged firm. It gives the transatlantic firm a South African ally more than twice the size of that of its rival Eversheds, which tied up with 60-partner Johannesburg practice Routledge Modise in April this year.

Dines Gihwala (pictured), chairman of the legacy Hofmeyr and chairman-elect of the new firm, said: "As a single entity, we are exceptionally well-positioned to take full advantage of the changing legal landscape and, as a result of the merger, will be able to improve our already excellent service offering."

The union is the latest in a series of mergers to take place in South Africa in recent years. In March, Johannesburg leader Webber Wentzel Bowens merged with Cape Town-based Mallinicks to create a firm with around 280 lawyers, including 134 partners.

Meanwhile, the merger between Sonnenberg Hoffmann Galombik and Edward Nathan to create Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENS) went live in October 2006, creating what was, at the time, the largest firm in the country.

Webber Wentzel's Cape Town head and former managing partner of Mallinicks, Justin Hardcastle, commented: "The South African legal market follows a worldwide trend of consolidation. Firms need to provide a wider range of services as our regulatory environment becomes more complex. We also see some very large transactions in South Africa now, which require firms of significant size.

"We will see more consolidation, as firms need to decide whether to be niche or reach a certain size."

Other UK firms with ties to South Africa include Linklaters, which has referral links with 280-lawyer Bowman Gilfillan and ENS.