The Passing-On of F.W. de Klerk: a Trigger for a Renewed Theological Discourse on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Abstract

After his death on 11 November 2021, social media in South Africa was immediately inundated with reactions to the mixed legacy of Frederik Willem de Klerk, the last President of South Africa during apartheid (1989–1994) and the former Vice President of Nelson Mandela (1994–1996) under the democratic dispensation. In most transitional justice processes, truth is often required in exchange for reconciliatory or peace accords. With the benefits of the literature review, this article problematises the deficiency of truth-telling or its absence thereof, by beneficiaries of apartheid, with particular stress on statements made by F.W. de Klerk during and after the TRC public hearings. It focuses on truth-telling as a neglected aspect in previous studies examining the work of the TRC. It uses the biblical understanding of the concept of truth as a foundational component of reconciliation to test the authenticity of the acclaimed reconciliation after the TRC hearings.