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De Klerk rejects links to apartheid crimes

CAPE TOWN (South Africa): Former South African President F.W. de Klerk, speaking as an apartheid-era police minister prepared to stand trial for trying to poison a black church leader, insisted he never condoned atrocities committed under white rule.

He also told reporters on Thursday that if there were to be any further prosecutions of apartheid era crimes, former African National Congress guerrillas as well as members of the white security forces should be targeted.

“I’ve never been part of any policy which said atrocities are fine, cold blooded murder is fine, rape is fine, torture is fine,” he said.

Mr. De Klerk spoke following a decision by the National Prosecuting Authority to charge former Law and Order Minister Adriaan Vlok for the attempted poisoning of the then head of the South African Council of Churches, Frank Chikane. Mr. De Klerk released Nelson Mandela, legalised the African National Congress, engaged in negotiations that brought Mr. Mandela to power in South Africa’s first all-race election in 1994. — AP

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De Klerk rejects links to apartheid crimes

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