FW de Klerk

FW de Klerk, winner of a Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, was one of the main architects of South Africa's constitutional democracy. During his presidency (1989-1994) he played a central role in initiating and managing the transformation process that helped to resolve centuries of inter-community conflict and create a basis for peace between South Africa’s many and varied communities.

FW de Klerk is well qualified to play a constructive role in the new South Africa:

• He has well-established relationships with leaders in all South Africa's communities;
• He has extensive contacts with past and present international leaders;
• He is well positioned to encourage South Africa's advantaged and minority communities to commit their resources and talents more actively to addressing the challenges confronting the country - and particularly the problem of poverty;
• He is a regular and active participant in the international debate on divided societies and the management of political change;
• He has retired from active party politics, but is still eager to serve the causes of national reconciliation and constitutional democracy for which he worked during his presidency; and
• In his late sixties he is still relatively young, active and healthy.

FW was born in Johannesburg on March 18, 1936. He graduated with a law degree from Potchefstroom University in 1958 and then practiced law in Vereeniging. De Klerk was offered a professorship of administrative law at Potchefstroom in 1972 but he declined the post because he had been elected to Parliament as National Party member for Vereeniging at the time.

In 1978, F.W. de Klerk was appointed Minister of Posts and Telecommunications and Social Welfare and Pensions by Prime Minister Vorster. Under Prime Minister P.W. Botha, he held a succession of ministerial posts, including Posts and Telecommunications and Sports and Recreation (1978-1979), Mines, Energy and Environmental Planning (1979-1980), Mineral and Energy Affairs (1980-1982), Internal Affairs (1982-1985), and National Education and Planning (1984-1989). In 1985, he became chairman of the Minister's Council in the House of Assembly. On December 1, 1986, he became the leader of the House of Assembly.

As Minister of National Education, F.W. de Klerk was a supporter of segregated universities, and as a leader of the National Party in Transvaal, he was not known to advocate reform. In February 1989, de Klerk was elected leader of the National Party and in September 1989 he was elected State President.

In his first speech after assuming the party leadership he called for a nonracist South Africa and for negotiations about the country's future. He lifted the ban on the ANC and released Nelson Mandela from prison. He brought apartheid to an end and opened the way for the drafting of a new constitution for the country based on the principle of one person, one vote.

GUEST SPEAKING TOPICS:

• Economic and Political Prospects for South Africa (and Africa)
• The Management of Change: lessons drawn from the transformation of South Africa
• Managing Diversity in the new Millennium (diversity is at the root of most conflicts in the new millennium)
• Managing Change in the New Millennium
• South Africa's Historic transformation process: Lessons for other divided societies
• The Role of the United States in the New International Order etc.

Mr De Klerk is happy to tailor speeches according to the special needs of clients