The circumstances that led to the repealing and ultimate dismantling of the Apartheid structure was similar to those that led to the earlier proclamation made by then President F.W. de Klerk to free the jailed ANC leader Nelson Mandela and others and to unban political organizations.
The announcement was made in Parliament on 1 February 1991 by de Klerk that he intended to repeal apartheid laws and was met with ridicule by some members of parliament and outright hostility by others. Gradually laws that supported Apartheid were either changed or scrapped altogether.
This was used as a motivation to argue for the lifting of economic sanctions against South Africa. However, most of the world was sceptical of de Klerk's actions and thus kept most of the sanctions in place at the time.
eventREF E-0012946Revised
1 February 1991
President F.W. de Klerk promises repeal of apartheid laws
- Updated
- 1 Feb 2020
F. W. de Klerk Source: Nelson Mandela Visual Timeline
How we know this
- 01Ottaway, D.B., (1991), "Abolition of Apartheid Acts Planned", from The Washington post, 02 February, [online], Available at washingtonpost.com [Accessed: 25 January 2010]
- 02Wren, C.S., (1991), "South Africa moves to scrap Apartheid", from The New York Times, 02 February, [online], Available at nytimes.com [Accessed: 25 January 2010]
Last updated · 1 Feb 2020
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). President F.W. de Klerk promises repeal of apartheid laws. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012946
South African History Online (2011) 'President F.W. de Klerk promises repeal of apartheid laws', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012946 (Accessed: 27 October 2026).
South African History Online, President F.W. de Klerk promises repeal of apartheid laws [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012946, (accessed 27 October 2026).
"President F.W. de Klerk promises repeal of apartheid laws." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012946. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "President F.W. de Klerk promises repeal of apartheid laws." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012946.
Also on 1 February
- 1889Harold Cressy is born in Rorke’s Drift
- 1920The South African Air Force is established
- 1935SAA takes over the South-West African Airways (SWAA)
- 1963The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland collapses
- 1973South Africa Grants independence to Venda and Gazankulu homelands
- 1982The official Commission of Inquiry into the mass media tables its report
- 1994President F.W. de Klerk announces withdrawal of Internal Stability Units (ISU)
- 1997The Choice of Termination Act is enacted by the Parliament of South Africa
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