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 It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.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 Party

In 1959 eleven of the more liberal members of the United Party* broke away to form the Progressive Party, but their defection had little impact on the NP* that had by this time firmly entrenched itself. The 'Progs' as they were commonly known, rejected racial inequality and called for a qualified franchise. For years they were represented in parliament by a lone member, Helen Suzman. The eventual breakdown of the United Party*(UP) in 1974 saw a strengthening of the Progressive Party ranks and they re-formed with ex-UP members and several other splinter groups as the Progressive Federal Party (PFP) the following year.

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.