About this site

This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

Progressive Federal Party (PFP)

Established in 1975, the PFP was a rejuvenated Progressive Party.* It was formed when elements of the by now-defunct UP* and several other smaller organizations joined the Progressives. With its policy of universal suffrage, the PFP became the NP*'s main opposition in 1977 and made some headway under the strong leadership of Van Zyl Slabbert. However, when a disillusioned Slabbert saw no chance of significant reform from the NP, he rejected the tri-cameral proposals and withdrew from politics in the mid-1980s. The party subsequently floundered and in 1989 merged with other liberal factions to form the Democratic Party.

This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. Return to theThis resource is hosted by the site.