He could have atoned for apartheid by admitting it was a crime and pleading for forgiveness. He didn’t
There have been some outstanding reflections penned on the recently deceased FW de Klerk. The best among them came from the desks of Barney Pityana, Redi Tlhabi and Antjie Krog. However, none of them tried to grapple in any depth with the man himself, focusing mainly on what he did or did not do — and the motives for his actions.
On the first of three occasions that I met de Klerk, one thing quickly became clear. The man was no fool. He was quick and clever, intellectually as well as politically. PW Botha was basically a skollie, a Kovsie dropout and political bully who notched up stars on his belt for violently upending meetings of his rivals. FW, on the other hand, was a thoughtful, calculating politician...A subscription gives you full digital access to all Sunday Times content.
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Ramaphosa declares national mourning period for FW de Klerk | News24President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a four-day mourning period for FW de Klerk. National flags will be flown at half-mast from sunset on Wednesday to Sunday. | nickymccain
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Presidency announces mourning period for FW de Klerk, state memorial service to followPresident Cyril Ramaphosa has declared the national flag be flown at half-mast from Wednesday as a mark of respect for late former president FW de Klerk, the presidency said on Tuesday.
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OPINIONISTA: FW de Klerk’s death is an opportunity to liberate ourselves from the prison of bitterness‘Forgiveness liberates the soul, it removes fear. That’s why it’s such a powerful weapon. Reconciliation does not mean forgetting or trying to bury the pain of conflict, but that reconciliation means working together to correct the legacy of past injustice.’ — Nelson Mandela 1995.
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Presidency announces mourning period for FW de Klerk, state memorial service to followPresident Cyril Ramaphosa has declared the national flag be flown at half-mast from Wednesday as a mark of respect for former apartheid president FW de Klerk, the presidency said on Tuesday.
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