New Labour Party (South Africa)

The New Labour Party (NLP) was a political party in South Africa, primarily active in the KwaZulu-Natal province. It represented the interests of the Indian community in the region. The party was formed as a splinter group from the South African Indian Congress (SAIC) in the early 1960s. A key figure in the party's formation and leadership was Ismail Meer.

During the apartheid era, the NLP participated in the tricameral Parliament, specifically in the House of Delegates, which was designated for Indian representatives. The party's participation in the tricameral system was controversial, as many anti-apartheid activists viewed it as legitimizing racial segregation.

Following the end of apartheid and the establishment of a democratic South Africa in 1994, the New Labour Party contested national and provincial elections. However, its support base gradually declined. By the late 20th and early 21st centuries, its political influence diminished significantly, and it eventually ceased to be a major political force. The party's focus on representing a specific racial group became less relevant in the post-apartheid era, which prioritized non-racialism.