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Reuters
Reuters
Politics

South Africa's last white president de Klerk apologises for apartheid

FILE PHOTO: Former South African President FW de Klerk addresses a news conference in Cape Town, July 26, 2007. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/File Photo

South Africa's last white president, F.W. de Klerk, who died on Thursday aged 85, apologised for the crimes committed to people of colour in a video released by his foundation on its website hours after his death.

"I, without qualification, apologise for the pain and the hurt and the indignity and the damage that apartheid has done to Black, Brown and Indians in South Africa," de Klerk said.

In his message he also cautioned that the country was facing many challenges of a serious nature saying: "I'm deeply concerned about the undermining of many aspects of the Constitution, which we perceive almost day to day."

It was not immediately clear when the recording was made.

(Reporting by Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Alison Williams)

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