FW de Klerk, the last president of apartheid South Africa, has died at the age of 85.
The FW de Klerk Foundation’s spokesperson Dave Steward confirmed his death on Thursday. “The former president died earlier this morning at his home in Fresnaye after his struggle against cancer. He was 85-years-old. He is survived by his wife Elita, two children Susan and Jan, and his grandchildren.”
Hours after his death, the FW de Klerk Foundation released a video with an apology from the ex-president for crimes against other ethnic groups during decades of apartheid.
“I, without qualification, apologise for the pain and the hurt and the indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to Black, Brown and Indians in South Africa,” said FW de Klerk, who had previously expressed regret several times for the 1948-91 policy.
“Allow me in this last message to share with you the fact that since the early 80’s, my views changed completely. It was as if I had a conversion,” de Klerk said in the video message.
“And in my heart of hearts, I realized that apartheid was wrong. I realized that we had arrived at a place which was morally unjustifiable,” he said, adding that action was then taken to negotiate and restore justice.
It was not immediately clear when the recording was made.
FW de Klerk’s Role In Ending Apartheid
De Klerk had been a firm believer in apartheid, but after coming to power he publicly called for a non-racist South Africa.
He was the head of state from September 1989 until May 1994.
In a famous speech to parliament in 1990, he announced that he was removing the ban on parties that included Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC). Also, he said that he was ordering Mandela’s release from prison unconditionally after 27 years.
This led to a multi-party negotiation process between 1990 and 1994, paving the way for the democratic election.
FW de Klerk became one of the country’s two deputy presidents after the first multi-racial, democratic election in April 1994.
He won praise worldwide for his role in scrapping apartheid and shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela in 1993.
Mixed Reactions to his death
President Cyril Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to de Klerk’s role in South Africa’s transition to democracy.
“He took the courageous decision (as president) to unban political parties, release political prisoners and enter into negotiations with the liberation movement amid severe pressure to the contrary from many in his political constituency,” he said.
John Steenhuisen
The DA notes with sadness the passing of former State President and Nobel laureate, FW de Klerk, at the age of 85 in his home in Cape Town after a battle with cancer.
Mr de Klerk’s contribution to South Africa’s transition to democracy cannot be overstated. pic.twitter.com/JnsCJDd6mR
— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) November 11, 2021
Julius Malema
Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the country’s third-biggest political party, said de Klerk should not be referred to as a “former president” but as a “former apartheid president”.
Pearl Thusi
This headline is upsetting because this guy , till he died, insisted that partners wasn’t a crime against humanity. And released Madiba under duress. The Nobel peace prize was a scam to look unified . https://t.co/JErecW8X4v
— Pearl Thusi (@PearlThusi) November 11, 2021
Desmond Tutu
“May FW de Klerk rest in peace and rise in glory,” Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a veteran of the struggle against white minority rule and seen by many as South Africa’s moral conscience, said in a short statement released by his office.
“The former president occupied a historic but difficult space in South Africa,” Tutu’s office added. “The late FW De Klerk played an important role in South Africa’s history,” it said.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation
The Nelson Mandela Foundation is saddened to hear of the passing of F W de Klerk. We send our condolences to his wife Elita and their family.
Read: https://t.co/i85RM2PJ5W pic.twitter.com/VIgntXYSSW
— NelsonMandela (@NelsonMandela) November 11, 2021