Whether you liked FW de Klerk or not, he will be remembered as a former president of this country. To some he was a good man and a colleague. When one reads the comments on social media since De Klerk's passing, it is clearly noticeable how divided this country still is.
To some he was a coward, even a traitor, a sell-out, even a murderer and many more things. Yet to many, even myself, De Klerk was seen as a courageous leader who realised and that the ghastly, inhumane and unjust system of apartheid had to end. He has my utter respect for doing that and for putting the country on the new course of democracy, however we might find it today.
After watching his heartfelt last message to the South Africans, I was left quite emotional, because for the first time I saw him speaking as a true leader of all South Africans, not because he had to, but because he wanted to.
I cherish this last "goodbye" to the nation, but also his sincerity and honesty. Today, I felt and heard his heart for the first time ever. May every South African take to heart his message and his dream for us all.
History is history. The good with the bad. It cannot be made undone, but we can all learn from it and rectify our past mistakes by reaching out to one another to forgive and to work and build a better future for all.
RIP Mr De Klerk.
Marianne Barnard, Durban
De Klerk's apology was sincere
Whether you liked FW de Klerk or not, he will be remembered as a former president of this country. To some he was a good man and a colleague. When one reads the comments on social media since De Klerk's passing, it is clearly noticeable how divided this country still is.
To some he was a coward, even a traitor, a sell-out, even a murderer and many more things. Yet to many, even myself, De Klerk was seen as a courageous leader who realised and that the ghastly, inhumane and unjust system of apartheid had to end. He has my utter respect for doing that and for putting the country on the new course of democracy, however we might find it today.
After watching his heartfelt last message to the South Africans, I was left quite emotional, because for the first time I saw him speaking as a true leader of all South Africans, not because he had to, but because he wanted to.
I cherish this last "goodbye" to the nation, but also his sincerity and honesty. Today, I felt and heard his heart for the first time ever. May every South African take to heart his message and his dream for us all.
History is history. The good with the bad. It cannot be made undone, but we can all learn from it and rectify our past mistakes by reaching out to one another to forgive and to work and build a better future for all.
RIP Mr De Klerk.
Marianne Barnard, Durban