Apartheid SA’s last president FW de Klerk has died, aged 85

Former president of apartheid South Africa, FW de Klerk, has died.

According to News24, the last man to head the apartheid state died early on Thursday morning in Cape Town, after a battle against cancer.

ALSO READ: OBITUARY: Life and times of FW de Klerk – apartheid’s last president

The FW de Klerk Foundation confirmed his death to News24.

“The former president died earlier this morning at his home in Fresnaye after his struggle against cancer. He was 85-years-old. He is survived by his wife Elita, two children Susan and Jan, and his grandchildren.”

The Presidency has not yet announced anything about the former president’s death.

In March this year, the foundation said he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer.

De Klerk was the president from September 1989 until May 1994, and was instrumental in the negotiations which saw the former liberation movements unbanned and South Africa transition to democracy.

He later became one of the country’s two deputy presidents under Nelson Mandela in April 1994.

This is a breaking story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.