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In January 1989, State President PW Botha suffered a serious stroke. On 2 February 1989, he sent a letter to the National Party caucus gathered in Cape Town saying that he had decided to step down as leader of the National Party, but would remain as president of the country.
The caucus decided to elect a new leader immediately. The contenders were Pik Botha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs; Chris Heunis, leader of the National Party in the Cape; Barend du Plessis, the Minister of Finance; and FW de Klerk, Minister of National Education. Pik Botha and Chris Heunis lost in the first two rounds. FW de Klerk won the final round against Barend du Plessis (who was regarded as a more ‘verligte’ (liberal) candidate) by only eight votes.
Pik Botha
Chris Heunis
Barend du Plessis
FW de Klerk sworn in
as acting President
Pik Botha
Chris Heunis
Barend du Plessis
FW de Klerk being sworn in
On 8 February 1989 in his first speech to Parliament as leader of the National Party, he said that
“Our goal is a new South Africa; a totally changed South Africa; a South Africa which has rid itself of the antagonism of the past; a South Africa free of domination or oppression in whatever form…”
FW de Klerk went on an international trip to see Margaret Thatcher, Helmut Kohl, and French President François Mitterrand during which he informed them of his plans for the transformation of South Africa.
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