At the same time, the Foundation will be restructured to ensure its long-term viability.
- The position of Executive Director will be abolished. However, current Executive Director, Dr Theuns Eloff, will remain closely involved in the work of the Foundation as the Chairman of its newly-constituted Board of Advisors, as a member of the Board of Trustees and as a regular contributor.
- The Foundation will, in future, be headed by a full-time Director.
- A panel of contributors will assist the Foundation with the production of articles and other activities.
- The positions of Directors of the current Centres for Constitutional Rights (CFCR) and Unity in Diversity (CUD) have also been abolished, but the two Centres will be retained. The Foundation will also continue with its present programme in support of children with disabilities.
- The Foundation’s two advisory panels, one for the CFCR and one for the CUD, will also be disbanded, in favour of one new Board of Advisors.
The Board is convinced that South Africa’s future will depend directly on the country’s ability to uphold the Constitution and to maintain positive race relations – both of which are currently under considerable pressure. Accordingly, the Foundation will continue with its core activities in support of the Constitution and positive relations between South Africa’s communities. In addition, it will place greater emphasis on the preservation of FW de Klerk’s legacy and the historic constitutional transformation process in which he was so closely involved.
The proposed changes will take effect on 1 June this year – in time for the celebration of the Foundation’s 20th anniversary on 6 June.
Issued by the FW de Klerk Foundation
2 April 2019
