Page "F. W. de Klerk" Paragraph 7

As Minister of National Education, de Klerk was a supporter of segregated universities, and as a leader of the National Party in Transvaal, he was not known to advocate reform.

However, after a long political career and with a very conservative reputation, in 1989 he placed himself at the head of verligte (" enlightened ") forces within the governing party, with the result that he was elected head of the National Party in February 1989, and finally State President in September 1989 to replace then president P. W.

Botha when the latter was forced to step down after an apparent stroke.