De Klerk admits to failing to act on suspicion

http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/general/0,2172,135276,00.html
SABC News
September 22, 2006, 06:00

F W de Klerk, the former president, has admitted that he failed to act on his suspicions that the apartheid security forces were committing human rights abuses.

De Klerk admits, in an authorised biography of Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican archbishop, that he should have asked more questions.

He made the statements to John Allen, Tutu’s former press secretary, who authored the biography, Rabble Rouser for Peace.

Dave Steward, De Klerk’s spokesperson, says the admission is not a new position and that it’s been said a number of times in recent years.

Steward added that he didn’t believe De Klerk’s inaction could be likened to that of Adriaan Vlok, the former law and order minister. He said De Klerk was of the opinion that Allen was very fair in the biography. The book will be available from next Thursday.