As we stare into the abyss as a nation the morning after the night before, we are asking ourselves, how can he, why did he, and could he really? A wholesale firing of a quarter of the Cabinet is a monumental act of confidence by the President as leader of SA Inc. Sadly, in this case, the act was not in the name of government or the electorate but driven by the antithesis of accountable leadership. The words of Howard Gardner, author and psychologist, Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership, came to mind as the nation woke up this morning. He describes a leader “as a person who is responsible, trusted, consistent, honest, and faithful. Leadership therefore exemplifies integrity and willingness to make sacrifices for the good of the governed”.

The actions of the President over the last 24 hours belie the very values ascribed to accountable leaders as described above but more painfully, contravene the very moral and ethical basis of the struggle for freedom and democracy in South Africa.

The country has come a long way precisely because of an abundance of ethical and accountable leadership, in the persons of Nelson Mandela and also FW de Klerk, who risked power and reputation to put country first at the dawn of democracy. Said FW de Klerk: “I played an integral part in helping formulating that new vision…that we must abandon apartheid and accept one united South Africa with equal rights for all, with all forms of discrimination to be scrapped from the statute book”. These powerful words attest to a man who sacrificed interest and power that came with the highest office in the land to nurture a democratic future guided by the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

The FW de Klerk Foundation mourns the loss of a brave warrior for democracy,  justice and non-racialism. Ahmed Mohamed Kathrada, or Uncle Kathy as he was fondly called, leaves an indelible mark on generations of South Africans. His towering grace and humility leave a long shadow in a country he loved and served so unselfishly. It behooves this generation of South Africans to continue his lifelong principled quest for non-racialism and equality.

To Barbara Hogan, the Kathrada family and his legions of friends, we pay our respects.  

Hamba kahle Ahmed Kathrada.

Issued by the FW de Klerk Foundation

It is with great sadness that I have learnt about the death of Ahmed Mohamed Kathrada. My wife Elita and I extend our deepest sympathies to his wife and family.

Ahmed Mohamed Kathrada was a man of great integrity. He was truly a good man, who loved South Africa and all its people. His commitment to non-racialism and reconciliation not only played a role during the initial period of transition in the 90s, but until today. May it serve as an example to all South Africans at this time when racism is much too much prevalent.  

May he rest in peace.

Unfortunately, I will be in Malta for an international conference and won’t be able to attend his funeral tomorrow. 

Issued on behalf of Former President FW de Klerk

It is with great sadness that the FW de Klerk Foundation has learnt of the passing of Professor Placid Johannes Malesela Kunutu. Professor Kunutu joined the Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2000, and served faithfully until he retired in 2016, playing a valuable role during his 16-year tenure as Board Member. The Foundation would like to honour him for his role in, and contribution towards, South Africa’s non-racial constitutional democracy. The Foundation would also like to extend their deepest sympathies to Mrs Kunutu and the Kunutu family during this time. 

Issued by the FW de Klerk Foundation

The FW de Klerk Foundation, through its Centres for Constitutional Rights (CFCR) and Unity in Diversity (CUD) decided to make property and land a focus for 2017 – in addition to a number of other constitutional issues. Hence this analysis of these two important themes as per the recent SONA, and its subsequent discussion in Parliament.

It is important to state at the outset that the FW de Klerk Foundation believes in the need for proper land reform and the extension of property rights to all South Africans, in line with the prescripts of section 25 of the Constitution. However, in the absence of facts on who owns what and who the real beneficiaries will be, as well government’s poor track record in this sphere, we cannot but be very sceptical about the latest government policy of radical economic transformation.

The FW de Klerk Foundation has responded in the affirmative to a call for submissions by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on Racism and Social Media in South Africa, with hearings scheduled for 15 and 16 February 2017.

The largely positive relations between people are disrupted by jarring and painful incidents that have the prospect, through the ease of use of social media to go viral and stir up deep emotions – as has been evident more recently. The Foundation is not contesting the use of social media in its submission, it is the use of racist and abusive terminology to describe other people that is at the core of the argument. Such incidents clearly set the agenda back significantly and have the effect of polarising people.

On 31 January 2017, the FW de Klerk Foundation, together with other advocates of freedom of expression, made a written submission to the Department of Justice on the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill (Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill). The Foundation used the opportunity to highlight that bolstering, consolidating and empowering existing laws and institutions is a sounder starting point than promulgating new laws with harsh consequences.

In brief, the Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill aims to criminalise the offences of hate speech and hate crimes. In terms of this proposed Bill, it is possible for a person to be imprisoned for three years following their first conviction for the offence of hate speech, with ten years imprisonment for subsequent offences.

The  Board of Trustees of the FW de Klerk Foundation decided at its last meeting in 2016 to award the 2017 FW de Klerk Goodwill Award to the coach and athlete team of Mrs Anna (Ans) Botha, and Mr Wayde van Niekerk.

The Board of Trustees of the FW de Klerk Foundation established the FW de Klerk Goodwill Award in 2010 to give recognition to individuals and organisations that have made exceptional contributions to the promotion of goodwill between South Africans. Past winners include Dr Danny Jordaan (2011), Pieter-Dirk Uys (2012), Studietrust (2013), Patrice Motsepe (2014), Afrika Tikkun (2015) and Adv Thuli Madonsela and the Office of the Public Protector (2016).

Former President FW de Klerk was presented with the prestigious Praeses Elit award from the Law Society of Trinity College, Dublin on 18 January 2017.  The award was established by Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland, to honour people who have advanced legal discourse through excellence of advocacy and commitment to causes.

In his acceptance speech, De Klerk discussed the acceptance of non-racialism and non-discrimination as one of the most important advances in social and political attitudes during the 20th century.