In his final message, hours before his death, South Africa’s last white president Frederik Willem (FW) de Klerk apologised to the people of different ethnicities who had to bear the brunt under the Apartheid system in the country.

The FW de Klerk Foundation, moments after announcing his passing, shared a video of the 85-year-old’s last message to citizens. It is unknown when was the video recorded.

“I, without qualification, apologise for the pain and the hurt and the indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to black, brown and Indians in South Africa. I do so, not only in my capacity as the former leader of the National Party, but also as an individual,” he said.

Stating that he is proud of the constitution that was adopted in the early 1990s after his National Party took far-reaching measures to ensure a new dispensation could bring justice to all, de Klerk said, “Together with most other South Africans, I’m proud of our constitution. The constitution which we hammered out in the negotiations which started in 1990 and which culminated in the final constitution of 1996. I fully associate myself with the values and principles enshrined in our constitution.”

He also cautioned that the country is facing various challenges. “I’m deeply concerned about the undermining of many aspects of the constitution, which we perceive almost day-to-day,” he said.

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He then finished off his message by expressing hope that South Africa would be able to overcome many challenges that is still plaguing society.

"The road forward is a difficult one. But I firmly believe that if we take hands and if all the reasonable people in South Africa put their heads together, we can overcome the challenges we face and we can fulfil the tremendous potential that South Africa has. May the South African nation show the courage and the ingenuity to achieve this,” de Klerk said.

De Klerk died on Thursday. He was diagnosed in March with mesothelioma, a type of cancer that affects the tissue lining the lungs. De Klerk had announced his diagnosis on his 85th birthday&nbsp;on March 18 this year.

He is survived by his wife Elita, children Jan and Susan, and grandchildren.

De Klerk is globally seen as a politician who successfully negotiated a peaceful transfer of power from white-minority rule to a Black-majority democratic government. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela in 1993.

But in South Africa, many saw him as a controversial figure who had shown little remorse for the crimes committed during the apartheid regime.

(With inputs from agencies)

In his final message, hours before his death, South Africa’s last white president Frederik Willem (FW) de Klerk apologised to the people of different ethnicities who had to bear the brunt under the Apartheid system in the country.

In his final message, hours before his death, South Africa’s last white president Frederik Willem (FW) de Klerk apologised to the people of different ethnicities who had to bear the brunt under the Apartheid system in the country. The FW de Klerk Foundation, moments after announcing his passing, shared a video of the 85-year-old’s last message to citizens. It is unknown when was the video recorded. “I, without qualification, apologise for the pain and the hurt and the indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to black, brown and Indians in South Africa. I do so, not only in my capacity as the former leader of the National Party, but also as an individual,” he said. Stating that he is proud of the constitution that was adopted in the early 1990s after his National Party took far-reaching measures to ensure a new dispensation could bring justice to all, de Klerk said, “Together with most other South Africans, I’m proud of our constitution. The constitution which we hammered out in the negotiations which started in 1990 and which culminated in the final constitution of 1996. I fully associate myself with the values and principles enshrined in our constitution.” He also cautioned that the country is facing various challenges. “I’m deeply concerned about the undermining of many aspects of the constitution, which we perceive almost day-to-day,” he said. FW De Klerk recorded this video which was released after his death. pic.twitter.com/soUuArURaw — Maria ⏳ (@ml_1maria) November 11, 2021 × He then finished off his message by expressing hope that South Africa would be able to overcome many challenges that is still plaguing society. "The road forward is a difficult one. But I firmly believe that if we take hands and if all the reasonable people in South Africa put their heads together, we can overcome the challenges we face and we can fulfil the tremendous potential that South Africa has. May the South African nation show the courage and the ingenuity to achieve this,” de Klerk said. De Klerk died on Thursday. He was diagnosed in March with mesothelioma, a type of cancer that affects the tissue lining the lungs. De Klerk had announced his diagnosis on his 85th birthday on March 18 this year. He is survived by his wife Elita, children Jan and Susan, and grandchildren. De Klerk is globally seen as a politician who successfully negotiated a peaceful transfer of power from white-minority rule to a Black-majority democratic government. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela in 1993. But in South Africa, many saw him as a controversial figure who had shown little remorse for the crimes committed during the apartheid regime. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | In his final message, South Africa’s last white president FW de Klerk apologises for apartheid

A quarter of a century after the end of the apartheid in South Africa, large swathes of population still aren't free given abject poverty and high unemployment and the scourge of corruption affecting the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday.

Speaking at a ceremony in Makhanda, formerly Grahamstown, in the south of the country, Ramaphosa said that South Africans were "gathered here to celebrate the day we won our freedom."

The first democratic elections were held in South Africa on April 27, 1994, with blacks -- who make up three-quarters of the population -- voting for the first time, bringing to an end three centuries of white rule and the apartheid regime in place since 1948.&nbsp;

"We remember the moment we placed a cross on a ballot paper for the first time in our lives," the president said, paying homage to Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid campaigner who was elected South Africa's first black president in 1994.

Nevertheless, "we cannot be a nation of free people when so many still live in poverty," Ramaphosa said.

"We cannot be a nation of free people when so many live without enough food, without proper shelter, without access to quality health care, without a means to earn a living," he continued.

"We cannot be a nation of free people when funds meant for the poor are wasted, lost or stolen (...) when there is still corruption within our own country."

Ramaphosa is head of the African National Congress (ANC), the party that has been in power since the end of apartheid.

He took over as president in 2018 from Jacob Zuma, who was forced to resign as a result of a number of corruption scandals.

"As we celebrate 25 years of democracy, we need to focus all our attention and efforts on ensuring that all South Africans can equally experience the economic and social benefits of freedom," Ramaphosa said.&nbsp;

Despite the emergence of a middle class in South Africa, the continent's economic powerhouse, 20 per cent of black households still live in dire poverty, compared with only 2.9 per cent of white households, according to the Institute of Race Relations.&nbsp;

The unemployment rate in South Africa currently stands at 27 per cent, compared with 20 per cent in 1994.&nbsp;

A quarter of a century after the end of the apartheid in South Africa, large swathes of population still aren't free given abject poverty and high unemployment and the scourge of corruption affecting the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday.

A quarter of a century after the end of the apartheid in South Africa, large swathes of population still aren't free given abject poverty and high unemployment and the scourge of corruption affecting the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday. Speaking at a ceremony in Makhanda, formerly Grahamstown, in the south of the country, Ramaphosa said that South Africans were "gathered here to celebrate the day we won our freedom." The first democratic elections were held in South Africa on April 27, 1994, with blacks -- who make up three-quarters of the population -- voting for the first time, bringing to an end three centuries of white rule and the apartheid regime in place since 1948. "We remember the moment we placed a cross on a ballot paper for the first time in our lives," the president said, paying homage to Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid campaigner who was elected South Africa's first black president in 1994. Nevertheless, "we cannot be a nation of free people when so many still live in poverty," Ramaphosa said. "We cannot be a nation of free people when so many live without enough food, without proper shelter, without access to quality health care, without a means to earn a living," he continued. "We cannot be a nation of free people when funds meant for the poor are wasted, lost or stolen (...) when there is still corruption within our own country." Ramaphosa is head of the African National Congress (ANC), the party that has been in power since the end of apartheid. He took over as president in 2018 from Jacob Zuma, who was forced to resign as a result of a number of corruption scandals. "As we celebrate 25 years of democracy, we need to focus all our attention and efforts on ensuring that all South Africans can equally experience the economic and social benefits of freedom," Ramaphosa said. Despite the emergence of a middle class in South Africa, the continent's economic powerhouse, 20 per cent of black households still live in dire poverty, compared with only 2.9 per cent of white households, according to the Institute of Race Relations. The unemployment rate in South Africa currently stands at 27 per cent, compared with 20 per cent in 1994.

25 years after apartheid, South Africans still not free: President

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Watch | In his final message, South Africa’s last white president FW de Klerk apologises for apartheid

25 years after apartheid, South Africans still not free: President