Dylan Bettencourt
South Africa’s last apartheid president FW de Klerk has died at the age of 85 after a long battle with cancer.
The FW de Klerk Foundation confirmed that De Klerk died in the early hours of Thursday morning at his home in Fresnaye, Cape Town.
“He is survived by his wife Elita, two children Susan and Jan, and his grandchildren,” the foundation’s spokesperson, Dave Steward told News24.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce the details of De Klerk’s funeral soon.
Six months ago, the foundation announced that he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer that targets the linings of the lungs and that he began his treatment in May.
De Klerk was South African president between 1989 and 1994 and was a key figure in South Africa’s transition to a democracy where he became one of the nation’s deputy presidents in the first multi-racial elections 27 years ago.
Alongside Nelson Mandela, de Klerk won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for his work to move South Africa into democracy.
A year later, Mandela became the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
Following his political retirement, De Klerk launched a foundation that aims to play a part in civil society as a watchdog and a think-tank.
Image source: @TheConversation
