Former President F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela during negotiations between the government and the ANC on May 6, 1990. Picture: SUNDAY TIMES
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Former president FW de Klerk passed away last week at the age of 85. It was Nelson Mandela and De Klerk who prevented SA from sliding into civil war after apartheid ended; statesmanship from both leaders prevented anarchy and chaos.
De Klerk, as president from 1989 to 1994, played a critical role in ending the brutal system of apartheid. It took courage for him to unban the ANC and set the stage for majority rule. In recognition of his role, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela in 1993.
We witnessed how close SA came to an inferno. Mandela and De Klerk changed the course of our history and saved generations from war.
Farouk Araie
Benoni
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