Former president FW de Klerk died on Thursday at his home in Fresnaye, Cape Town but he would not transition without delivering his last message to South Africa.
FW de Klerk shares last message to South Africa
The 85-year-old, it seems, was prepared for his fate and before he took his last breath, he recorded his last departing words where he addressed a number of things.
De Klerk confronts apartheid legacy
The 85-year-old admitted that, in his younger days, he was a staunch supporter of the infamous separate development policy passed under the prime ministership of Hendrik Verwoerd.
As documented by infoplease.com, only 14% of South Africa’s land was earmarked for homelands dispensed to Bantu people. The rest of the country, including mineral-rich areas and affluent, developed, spaces were reserved to whites.
This policy would underpin the foundation of the segregatory apartheid system that, in his own admission, De Klerk largely benefitted from.
“It is true that in my younger years, I defended separate development as I never liked the word apartheid. I did so, when I was a member of Parliament and I did so as I became a member of Cabinet. On many occasions, I apologised for the pain and indignity that apartheid has brought to persons of colour in South Africa.
“Many believed me, but others didn’t. Therefore, let me today, in this last message repeat, I, without qualification, apologise for the pain ant the hurt, and the indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to black, brown and Indians in South Africa,” he said.
De Klerk further revealed that it was in the early 1980s that his views on apartheid changed.
“It was as if I had a conversion, and in my heart of hearts, realised that apartheid was wrong. I realised that we have arrived at a place which was morally unjustifiable,” he added.
His final plea to South Africa
The final aspect of De Klerk’s departing words dealt with the state of South Africa’s rule of law. The former president expressed his deep concern with recent attempts made to undermine many aspects of the constitution.
“It is my plea that the government, all parties, civil society and all South Africans should, once again, embrace the constitution and interpret it in the balanced way that the constitution demands,” De Klerk said.
You can watch the former president’s last message below: