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F. W. de Klerk

Frederik Willem de Klerk was born in Johannesburg on 18 March 1936. He was educated at the Hoërskool Monument (Monument High School) in Krugersdorp and at Potchefstroom University, where he graduated in 1958 with BA and LLB degrees (cum laude).

Mr De Klerk established a successful firm of attorneys in Vereeniging and entered politics in 1972 as Member of Parliament for Vereeniging in November 1972. He was appointed to the Cabinet in 1978 and during the following eleven years held a number of portfolios, including Posts and Telecommunications and Social Welfare and Pensions; Sport and Recreation; Mining and Environmental Planning; Mineral and Energy Affairs; Home Affairs and National Education.

Mr De Klerk was elected leader of the National Party in the Transvaal in March 1982 and leader of the National Party on 2 February 1989. On 15 August 1989 he became Acting State President and on 15 September 1989 he was elected as State President.

During his presidency Mr De Klerk initiated and presided over the constitutional transformation of South Africa. After South Africa's first universal democratic elections on 27 April 1994, Mr De Klerk was appointed as Executive Deputy President in South Africa's Government of National Unity. He held this post until June, 1996 when his Party withdrew from the Government of National Unity. From then until his retirement from active politics in 1997, Mr De Klerk was the Leader of the Official Opposition.

In 1992, in Paris, France, he received the Prix du Courage Internationale (Prize for Political Courage) and, as co-recipient, the UNESCO Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize. In 1993 he was awarded the Philadelphia Liberty Medal and on 10 December 1993 he was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.


Book:

De Klerk, F. W. 2000, The Last Trek: A New Beginning, Trans-Atlantic Publications, Philadelphia.


Websites:

The FW de Klerk Foundation

Global Panel, in which F.W. de Klerk is on the board of advisors

Wikipedia entry

The Nobel Foundation’s page on F.W. de Klerk