Blog Post

De Klerk dies

FW de Klerk, the former president of South Africa and the last white man to lead the country, has died at the age of 85.

Mr de Klerk, who was also a key figure in the nation’s transition to democracy, had been diagnosed with cancer this year, a spokesman said.

Mr de Klerk was head of state between September 1989 and May 1994.

In 1990 he announced he was releasing anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela, leading to multi-party polls in 1994. (BBC)