South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences to Elita De Klerk, the wife of the late former President FW de Klerk, and her family following death yesterday.

Ramaphosa said, “I have learned with great sadness of the passing of former Deputy President and former State President Frederik Willem “FW” de Klerk.

“The Former Deputy President passed away earlier today, Thursday, 11 November 2021, after an extended period of illness. He was 85 years of age.

“I offer my sincerest condolences to his wife, Elita, his children Jan and Susan, and his grandchildren.

“My thoughts are also with Mr de Klerk’s friends and associates and the management and staff of the FW de Klerk Foundation.”

“While de Klerk was a leader of a party that was “vastly discredited” in relation to the role the party played in enforcing apartheid, he played a vital role in South Africa’s transition to democracy in the 1990s, which originated from his first meeting in 1989 with President Nelson Mandela who was a political prisoner at that stage.

“He took the courageous decision to unban political parties, release political prisoners and enter into negotiations with the liberation movement amid severe pressure to the contrary from many in his political constituency”.