Former president FW De Klerk trends as Mzansi weighs in on American speech withdrawal
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The decision to cancel an address on human rights to the American Bar Association (ABA) by former president FW De Klerk has been met with mixed responses from some South Africans.
The former president was expected to deliver a virtual talk on minority rights, racism and the rule of law, on July 1.
TimesLIVE reported that some South African opposition parties decried the ABA’s invitation to De Klerk.
De Klerk’s foundation said his legacy must not be tainted by claims that he is on the wrong side of history, but agreed that including him in the programme, would have been controversial considering “the current super-heated racial climate”.
His participation was further criticised by Lukhanyo Calata, son of apartheid activist, Fort Calata. His father was killed by police along with three other activists in 1985. He said the ABA "erred" in inviting De Klerk at the height of Black Lives Matter protests.
The Economic Freedom Fighters commended the ABA for “rejecting” De Klerk.
“The Economic Freedom Fighters commends American Association Bar for decisively rejecting FW De Klerk. The association has shown courage and political conscience that has escaped the former liberation movement in SA.”
The party said De Klerk represented the opposite of the values he was invited to speak about.
These are some of the views shared on social media:
Meet FW de Klerk, recently invited to talk in America about racism and violence against blacks. Was America trying to learn how it's properly done as this was the face of apartheid government in South Africa? pic.twitter.com/6DsF9Zypnu
— TheFieldNegro (@lentokozo) June 22, 2020
American Bar Association cancels FW de Klerk talk. @EFFSouthAfrica
— #WeVoteEFF (@vusiking) June 22, 2020
is ahead of its time. Thank you EFF.
De Klerk must shut. We do not want to hear from him. He is not resourceful and apologetic
— zarling (@maziyaziyavaya) June 22, 2020
The fact that ABA thought it was a great idea to invite FW De Klerk to speak on racism says a lot about who they are me thinks💀💀💀.
— Did you pay for de honey? (@ZemaSoks) June 21, 2020
@ABAesq so you’re promoting and sponsoring racism? And you’re surprised why white police keeps on killing innocent black people in America? #FWDeKlerk #FWDeKlerkMustFall
— #ke_ Morolong_tholo (@SankiLerefolo) June 21, 2020
FW De Klerk is not the right person to address ABA on racism amongst other issues. Let us protest it as South Africans so that, when he goes ahead and address them. We know they do not support the #BlueLivesMatters struggle. https://t.co/8KUq9jOr37
— Mthunzi Cele (@mthunzi_cele) June 21, 2020
Are you denying that Mr FW de Klerk was the last president of the apartheid regime? He was not democratically elected. I cannot regard him as SA president. I don't need Google for that. It happened in my lifetime, in front of me. It is in me.
— Siyanda Walter Mda (@siyandamda) June 20, 2020
Imagine FW De Klerk hosting a talk on racism in the midst of BLM Movement. Has the world absolutely lost its collective mind?
— Flo Letoaba - Duchess of Diepkloof (@Flo_Letoaba) June 20, 2020
FW de Klerk, the president of APARTHEID - a regime responsible for the deaths of thousands of black people- is going to speak about RACISM? 🙃
— Jade' (@StanSharpwin) June 20, 2020
The same FW de Klerk who said Apartheid wasn't a crime against humanity? Am I missing something here? pic.twitter.com/3STL3Ae6me
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