The death of former state president FW de Klerk last week sparked a mountain of debate from all sides of the political spectrum as commentators try to reconcile De Klerk’s past as the last president to preside over apartheid while simultaneously taking the necessary steps to put the country on a path towards democracy.
De Klerk’s legacy will of course always be marked by his complicity in serving in National Party governments, his conservative political positions, alleged involvement in apartheid death squads and his inability to call apartheid a crime against humanity.
But what of the actions that shaped his term in office like the unbanning of the ANC and other organisations, releasing Nelson Mandela from prison, entering negotiations with the ANC for a new constitution and helping to gear the country towards democracy?
He also apologised for apartheid without qualification in his final address to the nation in a video released posthumously by the FW de Klerk Foundation.
No doubt it would be difficult to condemn the man entirely but the same can be true that he cannot escape warranted criticism for conduct during his lifetime. What is true is that when historians write the final chapter in De Klerk’s legacy they will have to do so with sobriety as context and understanding is vitally important when discussing the role of FW de Klerk in South Africa’s history.
We’ve rounded up some of the best articles written over the last few days about the death of FW de Klerk. Many of them are subscribe to read articles but we would encourage you to do so, they’re well worth the read.
News24 (Subscribe to read)
Adriaan Basson | I wish De Klerk apologised earlier, also for his white lies
Adam Habib | In a single act, FW de Klerk did more for humanity than most people do in a lifetime
Theuns Eloff | FW de Klerk was not merely the last apartheid president
Yasmin Sooka | FW de Klerk failed to stand up for S.Africans in pursuit of reconciliation and truth
Zelda la Grange | FW de Klerk showed me compassion in my moment of need
Tony Leon | Last apartheid president, but first to read the writing on the wall
Ralph Mathekga | While the collapse of apartheid was inevitable, De Klerk saw it through
Sunday Times Daily (Register to read)
FW de Klerk: A brief comment
MAKHUDU SEFARA | FW’s apology is a choreographed insult to our intelligence
The Conversation
FW de Klerk: the last apartheid president was driven by pragmatism, not idealism
Daily Friend
The Citizen (Subscribe to read)
White SA’s finest hour?
De Klerk didn’t embrace democracy. He surrendered to its inevitability
Al Jazeera
