DE KLERK Frederik Willem (De Klerk Frederik Willem)

(p. 1936), was born in Johannesburg 18 March 1936. He graduated from the University of Potchefstroom (1958). In 1961 started practice in Ferenihinge. In 1973 became a professor at the University of Potchefstroom. He was elected member of Parliament from Ferenihinga in 1972 to list the National Party (in 1974 was re-elected).
Since 1978, held several cabinet posts, including Minister of Interior. In 1982, De Klerk was the head of office of the National Party in Transvaal. In 1984 he was appointed Minister of Local Government and National Education (for white). In 1989, after President PV Botha suffered a stroke, De Klerk led the National Party, after the resignation of Botha was elected President (14 September 1989).

De Klerk took a course to attract Africans to govern the country. In 1990, freed from prison of Nelson Mandela and legalize the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress. In 1991, discriminatory laws were repealed on resettlement groups, population registration and 'public safety'. In 1990, De Klerk and Mandela have begun consultations on a new constitution and in December 1991 convened a conference for its preparation. Negotiations were successfully completed in February 1993, when De Klerk and Mandela reached an agreement to establish a transitional government with the participation of the National Party and African National Congress. In 1992 De Klerk retired from the army officers who were suspected of instigating violence in black townships, while signing an amnesty law for all public officials who committed crimes during the apartheid.

De Klerk was the first white South African leader, who visited Nigeria in April 1992. In July 1993 he, along with Mandela traveled to the U.S.. In October 1993, De Klerk and Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize.

The first South African democratic election of 1994 won by the ANC and National Party won 21% votes, which gave her the right to appoint a Vice-President. De Klerk was elected Second Vice-President. In June 1996 he resigned and in August 1997 announced that he resigns as head of the National Party and leaves politics.