de Klerk

F.W. de Klerk final message. Photo: Screenshot from video.

WATCH: F.W. de Klerk apologises in final message from beyond the grave

‘I without qualification apologise for the pain and the hurt and the indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to black, brown and Indians in South Africa,’ said de Klerk in his final message.

de Klerk

F.W. de Klerk final message. Photo: Screenshot from video.

The F.W. de Klerk foundation released a seven-minute video with the last apartheid president’s final message after his death was announced on Thursday, 11 November. He died at his Cape Town home after a long struggle against mesothelioma cancer at the age of 85.

DE KLERK FOUNDATION RELEASES FINAL MESSAGE

In the video, which he described as his last message addressed to the people of South Africa, de Klerk apologised for the pain and indignity apartheid brought to people of colour in the country in both his personal capacity and as the former leader of the National Party.

 “I’m still often accused by critics that I in some way or another continued to justify apartheid – or separate development, as we later preferred to call it.

“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.

“Afterwards, on many occasions, I apologised to the South African public for the pain and indignity that apartheid has brought to persons of colour in SA. Many believed me but others didn’t.”

De Klerk said he wished to repeat that same apology in his last message.

“I without qualification apologise for the pain and the hurt and the indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to black, brown and Indians in South Africa.

“I do so not only in my capacity as the former leader of the National Party but also as an individual. Allow me in this message to share with you the fact that since the early ‘80s my views changed completely – it was as if I had a conversion.

“And in my heart of hearts realised that apartheid was wrong. I realised that we had arrived at a place which was morally unjustifiable,” said de Klerk.

De Klerk also spoke about how his “conversion” spread to his fellow members of the National Party and the transition to democracy. He also said he is proud of the South African Constitution.

“I fully associate myself with the values and principles enshrined in our Constitution and I am deeply concerned about the undermining of many aspects of the Constitution.

WATCH DE KLERK’S FINAL MESSAGE IN FULL BELOW:

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