Independent Party (South Africa)

The Independent Party (Afrikaans: Onafhanklike Party) was founded in 1987 by Denis Worrall and Wynand Malan. Its purpose was to protest against the National Party's shift in policy from reform to security. It contested the 1987 election as the Independent Movement and Malan, its founder, won its only seat. Disappointed by this result, Malan left to form the National Democratic Movement (NDM), and Worrall assumed the leadership.

Unlike most other legal non-racialist parties of the Apartheid era, the IP's membership was mainly composed of Afrikaners rather than English-speakers.^[1] The IP absorbed many members of the New Republic Party after its dissolution. In 1989, it merged with the Progressive Federal Party (and others including Malan's NDM) to form the Democratic Party (DP), now known as the Democratic Alliance (DA). The Afrikaner support melted away, and Worrall and Malan left the DP soon after its formation.

References

^ U.S. Sanctions on South Africa: The Results Are In

[1] U.S. Sanctions on South Africa: The Results Are In

[1]

v t e Liberalism in South Africa
Apartheid-era political parties and groups	Liberal Party of South Africa Progressive Party Democratic Party Progressive Federal Party Reform Party Progressive Reform Party Independent Party Black Sash
Post-Apartheid political parties and groups	Democratic Alliance South African Institute of Race Relations Helen Suzman Foundation
People before and during the apartheid era	Alan Paton Colin Eglin Harry Schwarz Helen Suzman Zach de Beer Denis Worrall Wynand Malan Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Donald Barkly Molteno Jan Steytler Margaret Ballinger
Post-apartheid people	Tony Leon Helen Zille Gwen Ngwenya John Steenhuisen