Johannesburg – Apartheid’s last president Frederik Willem de Klerk, popularly known as FW de Dlerk has died at the age of 85 at his Cape Town home.
His death was confirmed by his foundation on Thursday morning.
“Former President FW de Klerk died peacefully at his home in Fresnaye earlier this morning following his struggle against mesothelioma cancer,” the statement said.
De Klerk who will go down in history as President of the last white minority government is credited with taking steps to dismantle the oppressive system.
In February 1990, he lifted a 30-year ban on the ANC and other liberation movements and released Nelson Mandela after 27 years in prison.
De Klerk and Mandela worked together for political transformation that ended the nation’s era of white minority rule and in 1993.
The two were joint recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize in December 1993. He was South Africa’s president between September 1989 and May 1994.
He is survived by his wife Elita, two children Susan and Jan, and his grandchildren.
The foundation said that the family will, in due course, make an announcement regarding funeral arrangements.
Take a look at how some South Africans reacted to the news on Twitter below:
https://twitter.com/RealEvidence3/status/1458743254199848961?s=20
https://twitter.com/ma_mphago/status/1458744440240095233?s=20
Twitter is about to explode with FW de Klerk jokes and I’m here for it 😭😭😭😭
— lavender haze (@KabeloN__) November 11, 2021
Condolences to the Kodwa family on the passing of their father Frederick Willem Kodwa. #FWDeKlerk pic.twitter.com/cL0C1HBjIc
— umzukulu ka Seven (@velingobese_ZA) November 11, 2021
https://twitter.com/MKwadabeka/status/1458744551259217923?s=20
If Ramaphosa declares a State funeral category what what for FW de Klerk kuzomela siyochitha wonke lamaVaccines pic.twitter.com/fqPySHe90Y
— Innocent (@SyaInno) November 11, 2021
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