Moments in South African History

South Africa's last white president, FW de Klerk, who has died at the age of 85 in Cape Town, will be remembered for effectively ending apartheid and paving the way for constitutional negotiations. On the second of February 1990, De Klerk shocked everyone by unbanning anti-apartheid organisations, such as the ANC, and by announcing the release of the world's then-most famous prisoner, Nelson Mandela. Credits: Angie Kapelianis, John Perlman, Danny Booysen and the SABC Media Libraries. © SABC 2021. No unauthorised use, copying, adaptation or reproduction permitted without prior written consent of the SABC.

The National Party in the form of its leader, FW de Klerk, appeared before the Truth Commission in Cape Town in August 1996 and May 1997. De Klerk accepted responsibility for the wrongs in South Africa while he was president from 1989 to 1994. He admitted to authorising certain operations against the liberation movements. But those operations, said De Klerk, never included official permission to torture and murder activists. He also conceded that many repressive measures had contributed to human rights abuses during the apartheid era. But the lasting image of De Klerk at the Truth Commission soured almost everyone’s respect for the man who so boldly unbanned South Africa in 1990 and publicly apologised for his country’s suffering. Credits: Darren Taylor, Antjie Samuel, Kenneth Makatees, Angie Kapelianis, Sally Burdett and Danny Booysen. Transcript: http://www.sabctruth.co.za/sabctruth/slicesright.htm#call  From the series South Africa's Human Spirit. Available wherever you find your podcasts. © SABC 2021. No unauthorised use, copying, adaptation or reproduction permitted without prior written consent of the SABC. Additional music: B - Somber Ballads by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Former President Nelson Mandela was South Africa’s first democratically elected Head of State. His five-year presidency from 1994 to 1999 was regarded as one of reconciliation by both black and white South Africans. The people’s president was revered the world over for his fight against apartheid and commitment towards liberating all South Africans. Through his principled stance on various issues, South Africa’s profile was enhanced internationally as a leading emerging democracy. Credits: Angie Kapelianis, Danny Booysen, Denzil Taylor and the SABC Media Library Transcript: https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/obituary-nelson-mandela-1918-2013/ © SABC 2020. No unauthorised use, copying, adaptation or reproduction permitted without prior written consent of the SABC.

Nelson Mandela spent most of his life fighting the colour-based injustice of the apartheid system. But he also came to appreciate colour differences - not of the skin, but of his surroundings. The palette of his life was characterised by a range of shades, tones and hues. In this edited version of a speech that Mandela delivered in 2003, he recalled how colour informed, defined and transformed his life. Credits: Angie Kapelianis, Chevon Erasmus and Danny Booysen © SABC 2020. No unauthorised use, copying, adaptation or reproduction permitted without prior written consent of the SABC.