Protesters ‘disgusted’ with Ramaphosa honouring De Klerk

During the state memorial of former apartheid president FW De Klerk in Groote Kerk in the Cape Town city centre, a small group of protestors gathered outside demanding justice.

The protesters said they are “disgusted” that president Cyril Ramaphosa was honouring De Klerk, eNCA reported.

Ramaphosa on Sunday delivered the eulogy at a heavily guarded state memorial service for the last president of apartheid South Africa, who died last month at the age of 85 after a battle against cancer.

The president called De Klerk’s historic speech on 10 February 1990, when he announced the unbanning of political parties and the release of political prisoners, a brave act.

RELATED: We recognise that De Klerk’s contribution and legacy remain contested – Ramaphosa

A representative for the Apartheid Victims Era Family Group (AVEFG) says De Klerk made no time to meet with them including the former Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) commissioners.

AVEFG says there has been a delay of 50 years for justice for families who died under the apartheid regime and are disappointed with NPA head Shamila Batohi utterances, that there will be no prosecutions taking place from the TRC cases.

In Ramaphosa’s eulogy, he went further to say that De Klerk had gone against elements in his own state security apparatus and party, and against die-hards, who were prepared to take up arms to preserve the status quo in South Africa.

“We cannot say with conviction what course our country would’ve taken had that speech not been made. We can however say that the country was faced with a choice, between a negotiated settlement and a protracted civil war far more destructive than anything we had experienced before.

“In many ways, the change that took place freed them from their fear of majority rule and made them accept that South Africa belongs to all who live in it as set out in the Freedom Charter,” the president said.