F. W. de Klerk Biography, Awards, Family

F. W. de Klerk Biography

F. W. de Klerk (Frederik Willem de Klerk) was born on 18th March 1936 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a South African politician and the former South African president who served from 1989 to 1994.

Childhood/ Early Life.

F. W. de Klerk was born in Johannesburg, in the then Transvaal Province of the Union of South Africa, to Johannes “Jan” de Klerk and Hendrina Cornelia Coetzer – “her forefather was a Kutzer who stems from Austria”

His paternal great-grandfather was Senator Johannes Cornelis “Jan” van Rooy. His aunt was married to NP Prime Minister J. G. Strijdom.

In 1948, the year when the NP swept to power in whites-only elections on an apartheid platform, F. W. de Klerk’s father, Johannes “Jan” de Klerk, became secretary of the NP in the Transvaal province and later rose to the positions of cabinet minister and President of the Senate, becoming interim State President in 1975. His brother Willem is a liberal newspaperman and one of the founders of the Democratic Party.

F. W. de Klerk Education Background

  • He has a Honorary Doctor of Philosophy from National Chengchi University.
  • He has a Bachelors Degree in Law from the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus
  • He graduated from Monument High School in Krugersdorp.

F. W. de Klerk Career

  • 2004 – Present: Chairman of Global Leadership Foundation.
  • 1999 – Present: Chairman of FW de Klerk Foundation.
  • 1996 – 1997: Leader of Opposition at the National Assembly.
  • 1994 – 1996: Deputy President of South Africa.
  • 1991 – 1997: Chancellor of Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education.
  • 1989 – 1997: National Leader of the National Party.
  • 1989 – 1994: President of South Africa.
  • 1989: Acting State President.
  • 1986 – 1989: Leader of House of Assembly.
  • 1985 – 1989: Chairman of Ministers’ Council.
  • 1984 – 1989: Minister of National Education and Planning.
  • 1982 – 1989: Leader of Transvaal National Party
  • 1982 – 1985: Minister of Mineral and Energy Affairs.
  • 1979 – 1980: Minister of Mines, Energy and Environmental Planning.
  • 1978 – 1979: Minister of Sport and Recreation.
  • 1978: Minister of Posts and Telecommunications and Social Welfare and Pensions.
  • 1975: Information Officer of Transvaal National Party.
  • 1972 – 1989: Member of Parliament for Vereeniging Constituency
  • 1972 – 1997: Member of Pariliament of the National Assembly.
  • After graduation he practised law in Vereeniging in the Transvaal.

F. W. de Klerk Awards and Honours

  • Order of Mapungubwe, State President of the Republic of South  Africa
  • Co-Recipient of Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela
  • Philadelphia Liberty Medal, President Bill Clinton, USA
  • Prix de Courage International, France
  • Co-Recipient of UNESCO Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela
  • Honorary LLD, University of Potchefstroom
  • Honorary DPhil, University of Stellenbosch
  • Decoration for Meritorious Service, State President of SA
  • Honorary LLD, Bar-Ilan University
  • Honorary DPhil, National University

F. W. de Klerk Membership

  1. Executive Committee Member of Afrikaanse Studentebond at the University of Potchefstroom.
  2. Editor of the University of Potchefstroom Campus Newspaper.
  3. Vice-Chairman of Students Representatives Council University of Potchefstroom.

F. W. de Klerk Wives

F. W. de Klerk married Marike Willemse in 1959 but divorced in 1998. In 1998 he married his second wife Elita Georgiades.

F. W. de Klerk Children

He has three children from her first marriage one daughter and two sons Susan de Klerk, Willem de Klerk and Jan de Klerk.

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F. W. de Klerk

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