Former South African President FW de Klerk Dies at Age 85

• FW de Klerk, former South African President succumbed to cancer at the 85 on Thursday 11 November
• A state funeral is expected to be held in his honour and an announcement of funeral proceedings will be made by President Cyril Ramaphosa
• The FW de Klerk Foundation says the former president died at his in Fresnaye and is survived by his famil

CAPE TOWN - Former President FW de Klerk reportedly died on Thursday, 11 November at the age of 85 after suffering from a long illness.

Dave Steward, FW de Klerk Foundation's spokesperson says de Klerk died in the early hours of the morning at his home in Fresnaye in Cape Town after losing his battle with cancer.

eNCA reports that de Klerk leaves behind his wife Elita, two children and grandkids.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce details of his state funeral at a later stage, reports News24.

This is a developing story.

FW de Klerk: Former President reveals cancer diagnoses on birthday

Briefly News previously reported that Former South African president FW de Klerk announced on his 85th birthday that he has been diagnosed with cancer. De Klerk was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer that affects lungs tissues.

According to the FW de Klerk Foundation, the former president will be starting a course of immunotherapy, a treatment that either activates or suppresses the immune system. De Klerk's foundation revealed that there is 'no immediate threat'.

It added that it is confident that De Klerk's treatment will be successful. The 85-year-old is expected to begin his treatment next week.

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EWN revealed that mesothelioma is caused by asbestos. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, asbestos is a series of minerals that separates into long flexible fibres. The materials were formerly used as firefighting insulation.

FW de Klerk still stands by historic speech bringing reform to SA

Thirty years since giving the speech that would signal the end of the apartheid regime and the dawn of democracy in South Africa, FW de Klerk has stood by his actions.

Briefly News reported that the Economic Freedom Fighters had slammed the former president, adamant that he should return his Nobel Prize.

However, the former apartheid leader insists he has no regrets about the decisions he made during his tenure.

Source: Briefly News