The national memorial service for former South African President De Klerk was held in Cape Town

Source: China News Network

Johannesburg, 12 Dec (China News Service) -- On December 12, local time in South Africa, the national memorial service of former South African President De Klerk was held at Groot Church in Cape Town, and representatives of the South African government sent him off.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1936, De Klerk was President of South Africa from 1989 to 1994, the last president of South Africa during the apartheid era. In February 1990, de Klerk announced the lifting of the ban on the ANC and the South African Communist Party and the unconditional release of Nelson Mandela, paving the way for democratic elections in South Africa. On November 11, 2021, De Klerk died at home at the age of 85.

On the same day, de Klerk's relatives and friends and representatives of South African government officials gathered at Groot Church in Cape Town to send him off. South African Presidential Minister Mondry Gangubel said that as a famous politician, De Klerk has left an indelible mark on South Africa and the South African people, and he has made great contributions to South Africa's road to democracy and has a far-reaching impact on South Africa's history.

Dave Steward, head of the De Klerk Foundation, said de Klerk's fighting spirit was unforgettable and that he had made a great contribution to the desegregation under pressure. (End)