Cape Town - The FW de Klerk Foundation hosted a conference on Wednesday at the Cape Town Civic Centre to commemorate the 26th anniversary of Former President, FW de Klerk’s speech, which initiated South Africa’s constitutional transformation process.
De Klerk announced that political parties like the African National Congress (ANC), Pan Africanist Congress, and the South African Communist Party would no longer be banned.
The conference titled, “The Future of Multiculturalism in South Africa” hosted speeches by Dr Mathews Phosa and Rhoda Kadalie whereby each speaker got deliver their perspective on the talk’s theme.
Video: DKF hosts multiculturalism conference
During the press conference, it was De Klerk’s comments on the constitution’s strength that caught attention. When asked if the former president believed that the strength of the constitution will hold under the ANC’s rule, he replied that is currently enduring some strain.
“The constitution is strong enough to carry on holding, I’m heartened by the impartiality that the constitutional court is showing, but there is no question that the constitution is under pressure.”
“There is no question, that there are elements in our public life, and specifically a strong element in the ANC, which would like to nullify aspects of the constitution.”
undefinedDe Klerk further elaborated that even the concessions made during the post apartheid negotiations between the National Party (NP) and former President Nelson Mandela, are being scrutinized.
“They are questioning it, they are questioning him, and they’re bad mouthing him. They want those aspects in the constitution, which are the result of concessions made by the ANC during the negotiations, to be relegated... That’s not what the constitution says.”
Read: Remember when De Klerk did this?
De Klerk believed that, “There is a greater need than ever to protect and uphold the constitution than there has ever been since 1996.”
IOL MOJO