“I, without qualification, apologize for the pain, hurt, indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to black, brown, and Indians in South Africa.” were the words of the now Late former President, FW DE Klerk who passed on Thursday morning, after being down with cancer at the age of 85.

In a video shared by the FW DE Klerk foundation moments after his death, he was seen apologizing for the damage which apartheid caused to non-whites. Claiming that his views on apartheid had changed significantly since the 1980s.

The apology, he said, was not only in his capacity as the former leader of the National Party but also as an individual.

“Allow me in this last message to share with you the fact that since the early ’80s, my views have changed completely. It was as if I had a conversion and in my hearts of hearts realized that apartheid was wrong.

“I realized that we have arrived at a place which was morally unjustifiable,” De Klerk said.

He said the National Party took far-reaching measures to ensure negotiations and a new dispensation that could bring justice to all.

De Klerk further mentioned that he takes pride in the country’s Constitution. “I’m proud of our Constitution – the Constitution which we hammered out in the negotiations which started in 1990 – and which culminated in the final Constitution of 1996.

“I fully associate myself with the values and principles enshrined in our Constitution and I am deeply concerned about the undermining of many aspects of the Constitution which we perceive almost day-to-day.

“It is my plea that the government, all parties, civil society, and all South Africans should once again embrace the Constitution and interpret it in the balanced way which the Constitution demands,” said De Klerk.