Former president FW de Klerk dies at 85
Former president FW de Klerk has died at the age of 85.
De Klerk succumbed to his long battle with cancer on Thursday morning.
He died at his Fresnaye home in Cape Town.
FW de Klerk Foundation spokesperson Dave Steward confirmed the news.
"The family will, in due course, make an announcement regarding funeral arrangements."
While a date hasn't been set, Steward adds a private cremation is likely to be held soon.
He is survived by his wife Elita, his children Jan and Susan and his grandchildren.
While his legacy remains highly contested, De Klerk set in motion the demise of apartheid in 1990 when he ordered Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
In 1993 De Klerk and Mandela jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize for their roles in South Africa's "miracle" transition to democracy.
He later served as one of two executive deputy presidents in South Africa's new national unity government under Mandela from 1994, before retiring from active politics in 1997.
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