F.W. De Klerk has died.

Both loved and hated. but certainly a man of note, F.W. de Klerk has died:

Frederik Willem de Klerk[a] OMG DMS (18 March 1936 – 11 November 2021) was a South African politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as state president from 1989 to 1994 and as deputy president from 1994 to 1996. As South Africa's last head of state from the era of white-minority rule, he and his government dismantled the apartheid system and introduced universal suffrage. Ideologically a conservative and an economic liberal, he led the National Party (NP) from 1989 to 1997.

en.wikipedia.org...

A last message from beyond the grave:

Various tributes:

Buthelezi pays tribute to FW De Klerk.

How do I feel about it?

We were brought up and trained to fight the communists, and next thing he just hands the country to them.

OK we got peace for now, but how long?

Not that he acted unilaterally.
There was a referendum in 1992, in which 68 percent of white voters agreed with dismantling apartheid.
en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: halfoldman

Thanks for the personal take. That is worth more than a hundred reports from the media.

In your view, do the roughly 2/3 of white voters still think it was a good decision?

Cheers

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

Well, the racist aspect of apartheid had to go.
It was wrong, no question about that.
Could there have been other options but the ANC and this socialism, and gradual reverse racism?
No the global order of the time pretty much meant it was the only option for SA.

originally posted by: halfoldman
How do I feel about it?

Edited (deleted), because I was a bit direct.
The short summary: not great.

And where is the apology to the white male "troepie" (conscripted troop)?
Under various offices you held they were made to fight a 23-year long "border war" (initiated by your formative regime, the CIA and the OAU).
Where is our apology?
Your former conscripted foot-soldier.
Yeah, white boys who were just 18.

To express it in song:

Piet Botha and Jackhammer - Goienag General (Goodnight General):



English translation (from Afrikaans):
lyricstranslate.com...