Cape Town – Former president FW de Klerk on Friday rejected a press report which said that he has been schooling Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane in the art of political leadership.
“There is no truth in the rumours that I am ‘tutoring Mmusi Maimane’. He has never been to my home and never sought my advice ‘on speeches and leadership and acting presidential’,” South Africa’s last white apartheid-era president said in a statement issued by his foundation.
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“I only met him once, at my office, in March 2015 when he paid me a courtesy visit,” De Klerk added.
He was reacting to a report that appeared in the Mail & Guardian on Friday under the headline “Analysis: Is FW de Klerk tutoring Mmusi Maimane?”
The DA also strongly denied the report. Spokeswoman Phumzile van Damme described it as “a complete fabrication”.
“It is completely false and we expect them to retract it,” she added.
De Klerk also denied said he had at one stage said that black people “are more racist than white people”.
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“The report which appeared to this effect was untrue and the FW de Klerk Foundation is taking steps to correct this.”
Maimane, 35, succeeded Helen Zille as DA leader last year after she unexpectedly stepped down. His oratory style is often described as being clearly inspired by that of US President Barack Obama.
African News Agency
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