Former South African president Frederik Willem (FW) de Klerk has died in the early hours of Thursday, November 11 at his home in Fresnaye, Cape Town.
According to News 24, spokesperson for the FW de Klerk Foundation Dave Steward confirmed his death, indicating that de Klerk lost his battle to cancer. Steward said de Klerk is survived by his wife Elita, two children Susan and Jan, and his grandchildren.
Also read: FW de Klerk diagnosed with cancer as he celebrates 85th birthday
Former South African president Frederik Willem de Klerk has died
Mandela and de Klerk were jointly awarded the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa. pic.twitter.com/R1aJVPmrMJ
— Fuad Alakbarov (@DrAlakbarov) November 11, 2021
Meanwhile, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has said in a statement that they are saddened to hear of the passing of F W de Klerk.
“De Klerk will forever be linked to Nelson Mandela in the annals of South African history. As head of state, he oversaw the release of Madiba from prison on 11 February 1990.
“De Klerk’s legacy is a big one. It is also an uneven one, something South Africans are called to reckon with in this moment,” the statement read.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is also yet to make an announcement regarding De Klerk’s death.
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Picture: Facebook/FW de Klerk Foundation