South Africa’s last apartheid President Frederick William de Klerk, who released Nelson Mandela from prison, has died at the age of 85.
A statement by F.W. de Klerk Foundation yesterday indicated that the former president died after a battle with cancer at his home in Cape Town.
“It is with the deepest sadness that the FW de Klerk Foundation must announce that former President FW de Klerk died peacefully at his home in Fresnaye earlier this morning, following his struggle against mesothelioma cancer. Mr. De Klerk was 85 years old. He is survived by his wife Elita, his children Jan and Susan and his grandchildren,” the statement said.
“The family will, in due course, make an announcement regarding funeral arrangements.”
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, de Klerk studied at Potscheftroom University before pursuing a career in law.
Joining the National Party, he was elected to parliament and sat in the white minority parliament of Pieter Willem Botha, holding a succession of ministerial posts.
President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that the death de Klerk, “is the end of an era because of his tremendous impact on history and the cause of justice”.
Reacting to the demise of de Klerk in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari said: “Mr. de Klerk was a remarkable moral force for change, who will be celebrated for years beyond his death.”
According to the President, “ending the obnoxious apartheid system by a white President was an incredible act of moral courage and fierce commitment to human rights regardless of the colour of the victims of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.”
President Buhari noted that “the late South African leader had put humanity and justice before personal political ambition by dismantling the abhorrent apartheid system.”
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