In 1978 Frederik Willem de Klerk was appointed a Minister in the South African government by Prime Minister Vorster. Under Prime Minister P W Botha, he held a succession of ministerial posts and in 1986 became leader of the House of Assembly. In 1989 he became leader of the National Party and later that year he was elected State President.
On assuming the leadership he called for a non-racist South Africa and for negotiations about the country's future and lifted the ban on the ANC, releasing Nelson Mandela. 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.
In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Brunel University College - November 1996
