ANC: ‘De Klerk played a key role in our transition to democracy’

The African National Congress (ANC) has become one of the latest to react to the passing of former apartheid-era president FW de Klerk.

De Klerk passed away at the age of 85, succumbing to cancer at his Fresnaye home in Cape Town on Thursday morning, 11 November 2021. In March, the FW de Klerk Foundation announced that he had been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by asbestos and most commonly occurring in the lining of the lungs or abdomen.

The African National Congress has learned of the untimely passing of former State President of the Republic of South Africa Mr Frederick Willem De Klerk who was the last President of the apartheid regime. Mr De Klerk was invited to serve by the first democratically elected President of the Republic South Africa, President Nelson Mandela as his second Deputy President under the Government of National Unity. This came about through the process that came about the with a negotiated settlement of the Constitutional democratic order.

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe

HOW WAS FW DE KLERK’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ANC?

In a rather brief statement, the ANC expressed condolences to FW de Klerk’s family, friends and foundation.

“Mr De Klerk played a key role in our transition to democracy in the 1990s, which included unbanning all political parities and the unconditional release of all political prisoners including President Nelson Mandela who had been incarcerated for 27 years,” Mabe added.

De Klerk’s relationship with the ANC is a rather interesting one that dates back at the very least to the late 80s during negotiations ahead of the dawn of democracy. While de Klerk had grown critical of the ANC, the party appeared to hold him in high regard, particularly as several members defended his right to appear before the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2020, including Zizi Kodwa and Thandi Modise.