Home > Frederik Willem de Klerk

De Klerk is best known for ending apartheid, South Africa's racial segregation policy, and transforming South Africa into a democracy by allowing the country's black majority to have voting rights. Born in Johannesburg, De Klerk is the son of former Senator Jan de Klerk and a nephew of J.G. Strijdom (prime minister, 1954-1958).

After completing high school in Krugersdorp , De Klerk graduated in 1958 from the Potchefstroom University with BA and LL.B. degrees (the latter cum laude). In 1969 he married Marike Willemse, with whom he had two sons and a daughter.

"F.W.", as he became popularly known, was first elected to the South African ParliamentAlternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). A parliament is a legislative body, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system derived from that of the United Kingdom. in 1969 as the member for VereenigingVereeniging is a city in Gauteng province, South Africa, with a population of more than 350,000. It is also one of the constituent parts of the Vaal Triangle region and was formerly situated in the Transvaal province. The name Vereeniging is derived from, and entered the cabinet in 1978. He became TransvaalThe Transvaal was one of the provinces of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. The province no longer exists, and its territory now forms all, or part of, the provinces of Gauteng, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. History The Transvaal region is known to provincial National Party leader in 1982. After a long political career and with a very conservative reputation, in 1989 he placed himself at the head of verligte ("enlightened") forces within the governing party, with the result that he was elected head of the National Party in February 1989, and finally State President in September 1989 to replace then president P.W. BothaPieter Willem Botha (born January 12, 1916) commonly known as "P. and as die groot krokodil (the great crocodile) was Prime Minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and State President of South Africa from 1984 to 1989. Botha was a longtime supporter of when the latter was forced to step down after a stroke.

His lifting of the ban on the ANCThe African National Congress (ANC), originally (until 1923) South African Native National Congress has been South Africa's governing party since the establishment of majority rule in May 1994. It was founded to defend the rights of the black majority on and other organisations in February 1990Events January January 3 Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces. January 7 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public due to safety concerns. January 9 Lt Gen Bazilio Olara Okello The man who led the coup aginst Dr Apo paved the way for the negotiations which led to the end of Apartheid and white minority rule. On February 10February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 324 days remaining, 325 in leap years. Events 1258 Mongols overrun Baghdad, burning it to the ground and killing 10,000 citizens. 1635 The Academie francaise in Paris is expanded of that year, de Klerk also announced that Nelson Mandela would be released the next day. De Klerk and Mandela were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa.

In April 1994 racially inclusive elections were held for the first time ever. De Klerk ran a largely ceremonial and uncompetitive presidential campaign against Mandela, in which Mandela was soundly elected. He went on to serve for two years as deputy president in Nelson Mandela's government, but announced his retirement from politics in August 1997 in order to dissociate the National Party from the policies he had once implemented.

Conservative South African opinion was scandalised by his messy divorce (October 1998) from his wife Marike and prompt re-marriage to Elita Georgiades, but the whole country was shocked by the death (December 2001) of his ex-wife of 38 years, apparently at the hands of a young security guard during the course of a robbery.

In 2004, de Klerk announced that he was quitting the New National Party and seeking a new political home after it was announced that the NNP would merge with the ruling ANC.

The name 'de Klerk' is derived from Le Clerc / De Clercq and is of French Huguenot origin along with a great number of other Afrikaans surnames.