FW de Klerk, former leader of the National Party that gave birth to apartheid, believes certain elements of the backward political system, particularly the Bantustans, were "not morally repugnant".
De Klerk's remarks in an interview with CNN has justifiably sparked outrage since he comes across as someone who hates non-racial democracy under a united South Africa.
It is shocking that 18 years into a nonracial and non-ethnic democracy and 15 years since the adoption of the final Constitution, someone like De Klerk should just pop up and rubbish everything being supported by politically civilised citizens.
His remarks smack of double standards. The FW de Klerk Foundation has on numerous occasions issued statements condemning what it felt were
unconstitutional policies of the ANC government.
In so doing De Klerk presented himself as a paragon of constitutionalism. So it is cheap of him to now turn around and justify policies that the present Constitution outlaws.
The policy of ethnic separation was at the heart of apartheid's grand scheme, which the United Nations described as a crime against humanity.
De Klerk happily accepted the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Nelson Mandela for his contribution to SA's relatively peaceful negotiated transition.
But his comments show that he either did not understand the prize's significance.
By seeking to justify a dead and morally repugnant policy De Klerk is stripping himself of the prize. Ironically, he made his repugnant remarks while attending a meeting of Nobel laureates in the US.
By claiming in the CNN interview that he apologised for the wrongs of apartheid at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, while at the same time appearing to be disheartened by the failure of apartheid, De Klerk shows his true colours: he is a political hypocrite.
That his party has died suggests that white South Africans who backed it have withdrawn their support . Of course, there remains many racists in our society. The remarks by the former president certainly affirm that the racism ghost needs exorcising.
Why De Klerk seeks to soil the political civilisation for which so many died - and many are struggling daily to ensure it stays alive - is not clear. Could it be a case of a leopard being unable to change its spots?
De Klerk must apologise for insulting not only all South Africans, but the essence of the non-racial, united South Africa.
A political hypocrite
FW de Klerk, former leader of the National Party that gave birth to apartheid, believes certain elements of the backward political system, particularly the Bantustans, were "not morally repugnant".
De Klerk's remarks in an interview with CNN has justifiably sparked outrage since he comes across as someone who hates non-racial democracy under a united South Africa.
It is shocking that 18 years into a nonracial and non-ethnic democracy and 15 years since the adoption of the final Constitution, someone like De Klerk should just pop up and rubbish everything being supported by politically civilised citizens.
His remarks smack of double standards. The FW de Klerk Foundation has on numerous occasions issued statements condemning what it felt were
unconstitutional policies of the ANC government.
In so doing De Klerk presented himself as a paragon of constitutionalism. So it is cheap of him to now turn around and justify policies that the present Constitution outlaws.
The policy of ethnic separation was at the heart of apartheid's grand scheme, which the United Nations described as a crime against humanity.
De Klerk happily accepted the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Nelson Mandela for his contribution to SA's relatively peaceful negotiated transition.
But his comments show that he either did not understand the prize's significance.
By seeking to justify a dead and morally repugnant policy De Klerk is stripping himself of the prize. Ironically, he made his repugnant remarks while attending a meeting of Nobel laureates in the US.
By claiming in the CNN interview that he apologised for the wrongs of apartheid at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, while at the same time appearing to be disheartened by the failure of apartheid, De Klerk shows his true colours: he is a political hypocrite.
That his party has died suggests that white South Africans who backed it have withdrawn their support . Of course, there remains many racists in our society. The remarks by the former president certainly affirm that the racism ghost needs exorcising.
Why De Klerk seeks to soil the political civilisation for which so many died - and many are struggling daily to ensure it stays alive - is not clear. Could it be a case of a leopard being unable to change its spots?
De Klerk must apologise for insulting not only all South Africans, but the essence of the non-racial, united South Africa.
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