Former
South African President, Nobel Peace Prize Recipient,
Author
Frederik
Willem De Klerk (FW De Klerk) was born in Johannesburg
on 18 March 1936, the son of Senator Jan De Klerk,
a senior Cabinet Minister. His school years were
spent mainly in Krugersdorp, where he matricultated
at Monument High School. FW is a memorable corporate speaker and fascinating after dinner speaker combining wry humor and amazing fact.
He attended the Potchefstroom University for Christian
Higher Education and graduated in 1958 with BA
and LLB degrees (cum laude). During his university
years he was actively involved in student affairs.
F W De Klerk joined a firm of attorneys in Vereeniging
that he helped to develop into one of the leading
law firms outside South Africa’s major metropolitan
areas. At the same time he played a prominent
role in numerous community activities.
In 1972 he was offered the Chair of Administrative
Law at Potchefstroom University, but had to decline
because of his decision to enter active politics.
In November 1972 he was elected as Member of Parliament
for Vereeniging.
In 1978 a shortly after his 42nd birthday, after
only five and half years as a back-bencher, he
was appointed to the Cabinet. During the following
11 years he was responsible for the following
portfolios consecutively:
•
Posts and Telecommunications and Social Welfare
and Pensions;
• Sport and Recreation;
• Mining and Environmental Planning;
• Mineral and Energy Affairs;
• Internal Affairs, as well as the Public
Service, and
• National Education, (the portfolio that
he held when he was elected as State President).
On 1 July 1985 F W De Klerk became Chairman of
the Minister’s Council in the House of Assembly.
He became Leader of the House of Assembly on 1
December 1986.
F W De Klerk was elected to the key post of Leader
of the National Party in the Transvaal on 6 March
1982. On 2 February 1989, the caucus of the National
Party chose him as the national Leader of the
Party.
On 15 August 1989, after the resignation of President
P W Botha, F W De Klerk became Acting State President,
and after the general election of 6 September,
was inaugurated as State President on 20 September
1989. F W De Klerk served as State President until
President Nelson Mandela’s inauguration
on 10 May 1994.
During this period he initiated and presided over
the inclusive negotiations that led to the dismantling
of “apartheid” and the adoption of
South Africa’s first fully democratic constitution
in December 1993.
After leading the National Party to the second
place in South Africa’s first fully representative
general election of 27 April 1994 F W De Klerk
was inaugurated as one of South Africa’s
two Executive Deputy Presidents. He served in
this capacity until the end of June 1996 when
his Party, under his leadership, decided to withdraw
from the Government of National Unity. He was
Leader of the Official Opposition until his retirement
from active party politics 0n 9 September 1997.
F W De Klerk has received numerous national and
international honours and honorary doctorates.
In 1981 he was awarded the South African Decoration
for Meritorious Service. In 1992, he received
the Prix du Courage Internationale (The Prize
for Political Courage) and was co-recipient of
the UNESCO Houphouet-Boigny Prize. He was also
awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize in Spain
during the same year. In July 1993, together with
F W Nelson Mandela, F W De Klerk received the
Philadelphia Peace Prize and on 10 December the
same year was the co-recipient, also with Nelson
Mandela, of the Nobel Peace Prize.
In January 2000 F W De Klerk published his autobiography
“The Last Trek – a New Beginning”
(Macmillan) and the same year established the
F W De Klerk Foundation, which is dedicated to
the promotion of peace in multi-communal societies.
He makes numerous speeches around the world and
actively participates as an elder statesman in
international conferences on the promotion of
harmonious relations in multi-communal societies,
the future of Africa and South Africa and the
challenges facing the world during the new millennium.
F W De Klerk is Chairman of the F W De Klerk Foundation
which is dedicated to the promotion of peace in
multicommunity societies. He is also Chairman
of the Global Leadership Foundation, an organization
that is registered in Switzerland with operational
headquarters in London. Its objective is to play
a constructive role in the promotion of peace,
democracy and development. A number of internationally
respected former leaders and experts will join
him in this new initiative.
He is also the Honorary Chairman of the Prague
Society for International Co-operation in the
Czech Republic; a Member of the Assembly of the
Parliament of Cultures in Istanbul and plays a
substantial role in Forum 2000, a think-tank initiated
by former President Vaclav Havel and Nobel laureate
Eli Wiessel. In addition, he serves on the advisory
boards of the Peres Centre for Peace in Israel
and the Global Panel in Germany.
F W De Klerk lives on a farm outside Paarl about
60 kms from Cape Town where he and his wife Elita
will soon be producing their own wine. He enjoys
reading, the outdoor life and golf.
F W De Klerk is an accomplished and charismatic
public speaker and has the ability to entertain
and enthrall audiences around the world. |
