The Progressive Reform Party was a South African party that was formed on 26 July 1975 by the fusion of the Reform Party

Reform Party (South Africa)

The Reform Party was an anti-apartheid political party that existed for just five months in 1975 and is one of the predecessor parties to the Democratic Alliance...

 led by Harry Schwarz

Harry Schwarz

Harry Heinz Schwarz was a South African lawyer, statesman and long-time political opposition leader against apartheid, who eventually served as the South African ambassador to the United States during the country’s transition to representative democracy.Schwarz rose from the childhood poverty he...

 and Progressive Party

Progressive Party (South Africa)

The Progressive Party was a liberal party in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman...

 led by Colin Eglin

Colin Eglin

Colin Wells Eglin is a South African politician who is best known for having served as national leader of the opposition from 1977–79 and 1986-87...

. Harry Schwarz predicted that the merge would lead to a "new political dimension in South Africa".

Colin Eglin was elected leader of the party While Harry Schwarz was made Chairman of the Federal Executive.

In 1977, the United Party merged with another small party to form the New Republic Party

New Republic Party

The New Republic Party was a South African political party. It was formed as the successor to the disbanded United Party in 1977. After the UP wound up, initially the last UP leader, Sir de Villiers Graaff served as the interim national leader of the new party, with Radclyffe Cadman as...

, at which point further United Party members left to form the Committee for a United Opposition, which then joined the Progressive Reform Party to form the Progressive Federal Party

Progressive Federal Party

The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...

with Colin Eglin as its leader.