SOUTH AFRICA: MANDELA REACTION TO WITHDRAWAL OF NATIONAL PARTY

(9 May 1996) English/Nat
President Nelson Mandela has reacted to the withdrawal of the National Party from his government by thanking its leader FW de Klerk for helping bring about majority rule.
De Klerk was the president who released Mandela from prison and began the negotiations that led to majority rule.
Speaking in Cape Town on Thursday, President Mandela praised FW de Klerk for playing a key role in the country's move from Apartheid to democracy.
He added that despite the pullout of the National Party from the government of national unity, his ANC had the confidence to govern alone.
SOUNDBITE:
"I wish to thank Deputy President FW de Klerk and his colleagues for the constructive role they have played. I am confident that we shall continue to work together in pursuit of the country's interests in that their withdrawal will have the effect of strengthening, rather than weakening, the commitment to the country's political security and economic interests."
SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Mandela, South African President
Mandela also said he was not surprised by the timing of the NP move.
SOUNDBITE:
"And when he phoned me this morning to tell me that he decided to pull out, it did not come to me as a surprise because we have had those hints from him several times during the last two years."
SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Mandela, South African President
De Klerk, the country's deputy president and its last Apartheid president, announced the decision a day after South Africa adopted a new constitution.
The NP had been expected to announce the withdrawal next week.
But reports of their departure, which first started surfacing last week, had left stockmarkets nervous and the party decided to confirm the withdrawal Thursday.
SOUNDBITE:
"And because what has happened to the rand and because of the uncertainty, we felt that it would not be in the interests of the country to wait until next Tuesday and then to have the debate and finalise the decision but to assume full responsibility and to do so now so as to bring certainty so the markets can base their evaluations on not rumours, but on facts."
SUPER CAPTION: FW de Klerk, National Party leader
Political observers say the split was just a matter of time.
SOUNDBITE:
"The government on national unity was not expected to continue into the next century. It was a device which was put in place to basically ease the transition, to build up both local and international confidence in South Africa. At some point in time, there would inevitably would have been as split."
SUPER CAPTION: Doctor Philip Frankel, Senior Lecturer in Political Science Witwatersrand University
It is unclear how the defection will affect the political stability.
Mandela's ANC can continue to govern with a wide base of support but the participation of the NP had been a stabilising factor in the transition from Apartheid to democracy.
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[@cory8606]

The original plan was to power share till 2004. What a sell-out FW was.

[@kholomlandu3877]

Yo poes

[@carlosmpsenyorcapitacollon6977]

you mean between political parties?

[@user-wh9zg8np1s]

If HZ decides to bring her potential candidate ministers to the president, people will support that if he feels that their presence are not recognized and felt, i expect her to say so because TM continued with it though FW left the GNU in 1996 but most of the FW guys didn't want to come back to work with TM but some stayed

[@dandstuff]

Constructive??!! Mandela never let de Klerk do anything important.

[@lukhanyomtshingana1962]

Tata uMadiba, My commander and Chief.

[@janventer7942]

Continue to work together? 2003, Master Engineer: "Sorry, you can only apply for this job if you're black, coloured, indian or asian". Let the actions and consequences speak to the credibility of Nelson Mandela. His words turned out to be lies, for all to see. And when his party sold the country to corruption, he didn't say a thing. Silence is consent, destroyer of South Africa.

[@NdinguAnda]

So what of the wealth that was acquired by whites during the years oppression ? The perpetuated benefits are still savored today, what say you on that.

[@user-vr9mp2it8e]

Apartheid was the destroyer of SA atleast Mandela fought for democracy against these racist white we will never allow a white President in our land as blacks unless Jo slovo wake up from the grave then the will be a white president

[@elizesteyn9673]

oh no....
not that 2face again
r all ur bribemoney up..
seeking for more de klerk

[@user-wh9zg8np1s]

If she feels not he

[@frikkies333]

Gemors wit man

[@kholomlandu3877]

Yo poes

[@redmatters9318]

De Klerk did his bit. He saw the writing on the wall and new what to do to save the day. BRAVE man so stop with the moaning already mate.G'DAY .COOOEE

[@RSVPrr]

@@redmatters9318 f.k De klerk